


can we always be this close (forever and ever)

by sorryforthedead



Category: Glee
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Lets see if I can really write for thirty days straight, Thirty Day Challenge, This is just an excuse to study Quinn Fabray more
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:48:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 57,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24529396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sorryforthedead/pseuds/sorryforthedead
Summary: I attempt to write a faberry fic every day for thirty days.
Relationships: Rachel Berry/Quinn Fabray
Comments: 324
Kudos: 284





	1. day 1: holding hands

**Author's Note:**

> hello folks, I am writing to you today as I start my journey on a thirty day fic challenge. I've been talking about doing this for awhile, and I am excited to try and do it this time, I apologize in advance if I fold. This first chapter's prompt is "holding hands" and so I delivered that, by way of another Quinn Fabray character study. hope you all enjoy, and I suppose I will see you again tomorrow!! My dear friend inimitabler is attempting it with me, so check out theirs too!!!
> 
> The title is from Lover by Taylor Swift and I don't own that song, nor do I own glee, its characters or its plotlines. I also don't own nor have any association with the poems, books, poets, and authors mentioned!

Quinn’s sure it’s not the first time she held hands, but it’s the first time she remembers consciously disliking it. She knows she used to hold hands with her friends as a kid until that was deemed unacceptable, and she liked it then, but the first time she holds hands with a boy is in the ninth grade and she definitely doesn’t like it. Finn’s hands are huge, long fingers, large palms that just don’t fit against hers comfortably. Her fingers feel squeezed between his, and his arms are far longer than hers, creating an awkward tension she didn’t enjoy. She avoids holding his hand if she can, only taking it to create an image in the hallways. Quinn wanted to be head cheerleader by sophomore year, and the only way she could do it was to perfect an image. She had to be the perfect girl, one who was dating someone who was destined to lead the football team, one who had all the power and prestige. It was her dream, so she put the effort in, she pretended to like Finn. It was all part of the narrative she was building, it was all part of who she wanted to be.

Friday night Finn wanted to take her out, and who was Quinn to say no? She couldn’t reject her boyfriend, not in the hallway in front of all these people, not with Brittany and Santana at her side. Maybe she’d rather not spend her evening at Breadstix eating a subpar meal and listening to Finn talk about how the Browns were doing that season, but she didn’t have a choice, so when Friday rolls around, she meets Finn at the restaurant.

They sit across from each other in a booth in the back, and Quinn’s glad they’re not visible to the rest of the restaurant. She wouldn’t be surprised if the other cheerios came to spy on her. It wouldn’t be out of character, especially for Santana. Finn’s smiling down at her, talking away about football or video games, she hadn’t been listening, lost in her thoughts, just smiling and nodding. It was a technique she’d seen from her mom tons of times before, you had to make a man feel like he was being heard, even if you didn’t want to listen. That was the way to a happy relationship, or so she thought.

She doesn’t even think about resting her hand on the table, but she regrets it as soon as she does. Finn entangles their hands, a goofy grin on his face as he winks at her. Quinn forces a smile back, but she’s not smiling on the inside. All she can feel is gross sweat against her hand, like he was clammy and nervous. It makes Quinn’s stomach turn in a way that was not at all positive, but she doesn’t let go. She thinks maybe she’ll grow to like holding hands with him, if she just keeps doing it. That makes sense, maybe she’ll at least become indifferent.

The rest of the date goes similarly to the beginning. Quinn doesn’t say much, she just listens to Finn. Carole picks them up, and while they sit in the backseat Finn grabs her hand again. She resists the urge to let go as always, her eyes falling to their hands. It doesn’t even look right. Her own hand looks foreign to her. She wonders why the hell she’s so opposed to holding hands with her  _ boyfriend _ . Girls were supposed to like this kind of thing, weren’t they? Was Quinn really that different? She really hoped not.

Quinn prays every night that she’s not.

///

Quinn dates Sam in junior year, and she actually really likes him, at least as a person. He’s kind, funny, handsome, and a bit nerdy, which Quinn will never admit, but she actually really likes that. She doesn’t have to pretend to not like Star Wars or literature and he thinks it’s cute that she does. By all means, he should be her perfect boyfriend.

And yet, holding his hand didn’t feel right. 

It was better than Finn’s, his hand was smaller, and he generally wasn’t as sweaty, but it still felt  _ strange _ . It certainly didn’t feel romantic. Quinn just couldn’t generate any romantic connection to Sam, and she dreads to know why that was. She really didn’t like to think about it. In fact she avoids it at any cost. 

She ignores it. She pretends that holding hands with Sam feels right, pretends that it doesn’t feel like she’s back in kindergarten, holding hands because it was simply a silly thing to do. Quinn just cannot face the music, not when the consequences could be so dire.

She goes on dates with Sam, she loves them, but she doesn’t love him. Not like that. She slots their hands together this time, and fakes a smile again. Sam seems all too happy. She hates leading him on like this, but she needs to, for her own peace of mind.

///

Quinn cheats on Sam, dates Finn again, for some god unknown reason. He thinks first love never fades, but the truth for her is there was no first love at all. She hasn’t had hers yet, she doesn’t know if she ever will at this point. Junior year ends, Finn kisses Rachel, and it all feels awful.

Senior year goes similarly, but it’s then Quinn begins to make sense of herself. Santana is outed, and if Quinn’s being more than a little honest, the thought of her friend being gay gets the gears in her head going. She’s more than afraid at first, but it all makes  _ sense _ . She was gay. That’s why it couldn’t work with Sam or Finn. That’s why she spent more than a little time thinking about Rachel. She was repressed for too long. It takes her a lot of time to accept herself. It takes realization that she’s never going to change, it takes realization that maybe, she wouldn’t want to. 

She doesn’t act on it in high school, Lima was far too small, far too country, but she gets to Yale (the gay ivy, god) and it doesn’t take her long to branch out.

She meets Amelia in a freshmen literature course, they fight over whether or not T.S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufock is a hodgepodge of nothingness. Quinn likes her passion. She likes the way Amelia can recite Dickinson and quote lines from Larkin’s An Arundel Tomb. It makes her heart feel kind of funny, to be able to talk about her passions like this, to talk about the classics like it was a casual deal. 

They’re arguing over the merit of The Scarlet Letter walking home from their second date, when Amelia takes her hand. Quinn is surprised by how easily she lets her, given the fact that every other time she’s held hands, she hated it. She pauses her rant to stare down at their joined hands, look in awe. She doesn’t hate it, she really doesn’t, and it’s greatly surprising. Amelia’s hands are soft, warm and smaller than either Sam or Finn’s have been, and it feels like this was what she was missing. Women’s hands. She didn’t need any further confirmation, but she did feel it in that moment, she was definitely gay. “Uh, but the story is important,” Quinn tries to continue, completely losing her train of thoughts.

Amelia laughs and changes the subject to Langston Hughes, who Quinn is eager to talk about, as soon as she regains her bearings. The whole time though, she can’t help but smile. She was holding someone’s hand, and she doesn’t hate it. 

It doesn’t last long though.

Her and Amelia’s fights don’t just limit themselves to healthy debates on literature, no, as soon as they get serious they argue about everything, and Quinn can’t stand to be in a relationship like that, not when she remembers what her parents were like. She breaks up with Amelia, and while it hurts, while it feels like she might be giving up her only chance for love, she knows it’s the right thing to do.

A week later, she gets another email from Rachel, and something in her urges her to respond.

///

Three years later, she never thought one email would be so important, but as she rides the train to New York City, she can’t help but think it was the most important one she’ll ever send. 

Her and Rachel had been dating for two years now, after they had started talking again via that email. Quinn’s never been happier. She doesn’t think she could be happier. Rachel is wonderful, she’s beautiful and so kind, funny in the silliest way. Quinn had said she liked passion, Rachel had it in spades. She didn’t always know about literature, but she let Quinn talk, read poems and cried tears of joy when Quinn wrote them for her. Quinn loves her. She thinks she might just for the rest of her life.

Her train lurches to a stop at Grand Central, and she hops out of her seat quickly, barely checking to make sure she has all her things. She’s too excited to see Rachel, it’d been far too long, two and a half weeks. But now, she was in New York, and she and Rachel were going to be looking for a place for them to move into when Quinn graduates. It makes butterflies swarm in her stomach, thinking of getting to wake up to Rachel everyday. She thinks it’ll just make things even more perfect, considering how hard long distance has been.

As soon as she’s on the platform, her eyes dart around looking for her girlfriend, but she was tiny in a crowd of tall milling New Yorkers, and Rachel sees Quinn before Quinn sees her. A warm hand slips into hers and Quinn’s smile instantly widens.

She turns, and sure enough, Rachel Berry is standing before her, a wicked grin on her face. “Hi baby,” she says to Quinn, squeezing her hand. 

“Hi,” she whispers back, and before she knows it Rachel’s whisking her off the platform, dragging her away from the busyness. 

Their hands stay attached, and Quinn can’t help but think how easy it is to hold Rachel’s hand. It feels perfect in hers, soft, warm, small, never sweaty. Her fingers fit neatly between Quinn’s like they were meant to be intertwined. It makes Quinn’s heart flip in her chest. 

As soon as they’re off the platform Quinn raises their joint hands to her lips, pressing a soft kiss to the hand she feels like hers were meant to hold. “I missed you,” she says, “I love you.”

Rachel looks at her, a pensive smile on her face. “I missed you too,” she agrees, “and I love you too. Is there a reason why you’re being so sappy?”

Quinn shakes her head. “Just lucky to have you,” she says, swinging their hands between them.

“Well at the risk of sounding like I’m copying,” Rachel says, her grin wide once again, “I’m lucky to have you too, and I am very excited about the fact you’re moving to be with me.”

Quinn couldn’t agree more. She was so excited to live with the woman she thinks she might love forever all the time. It really blew her mind, it was something she’d never thought she’d have when she was holding Finn Hudson’s hand. That sentiment almost makes her laugh, both her and Rachel had once held Finn’s hand, and now, more than ever, she felt incredibly happy that Rachel was holding hers, and that she was holding Rachel’s. Hand holding felt so  _ right _ when it was Rachel’s hand in hers. 

The rest of the weekend is spent searching for their apartment, and their hands barely part. Quinn had never known she’d feel so in love with just the feeling of a hand in hers. 


	2. day 2: cuddling somewhere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again, so far so good when it comes to getting these done, though last night when I went to work on this my wifi decided to give out so it's a miracle i could get this finished honestly!! as it says on the tin, this is a fic about cuddling and there's a bit of Quinn study and healthy communication in there, so enjoy!!
> 
> I don't own glee, its characters or its plotlines.

Quinn had never really been a tactile person, not with her friends, not in her past relationships. It wasn’t how she was raised, her parents had never been affectionate with her, nor with each other. When she’d dated guys, Finn, Sam, Biff, a few others that she had deluded herself into thinking she liked at Yale, she just hadn’t been that interested in an affectionate, cuddly relationship. And of course she realizes later that’s mostly because she was gay, but since then, she’d been a few other relationships with women, and while it was better, she just didn’t like it all that much. She didn’t feel the need to be touching them all the time.

All that changed with Rachel. Rachel was a world of difference for Quinn. As soon as they started dating, Quinn realized she wanted to be around Rachel all the time. She’d want to have an arm around Rachel, or a hand tangled in hers, or she’d desire to press a kiss to her cheek, her temple, her lips. She didn’t really know the protocol for feeling like that in a relationship though. She didn’t know when it was appropriate to do those things, because she hadn’t ever done them before.

Rachel didn’t seem to hesitate though, and Quinn was thankful for that. 

It was Friday night, two months into them dating, and they were out with Sam, Jesse, Brittany and Santana. Rachel had gone with Santana to get drinks, and Quinn was making small talk with their friends. When she comes back, Rachel sets the glasses on the table, and settles right into Quinn’s lap, without even another word. Rachel turns her attention to the conversation, but Quinn stiffens, not for a lack of enjoyment, just from almost confusion. She knew Rachel was touchy, she knew Rachel liked to be close to her, but she hadn’t realized she wanted to be this close, in front of so many of their friends. Rachel turns to her, her eyes filled with concern at Quinn’s inability to relax. The conversation continues as usual, but Rachel whispers quietly to her, “is this okay?”   
  
Quinn is quick to nod. “Uh, yeah,” she whispers back, “I was just surprised.”

Rachel still looks a little concerned, but Quinn just presses a soft kiss to her neck and wraps her arms around her waist. Her girlfriend smiles, responding to something Santana said, her hand running over Quinn’s arm. Quinn settles her head on Rachel’s shoulder and turns back to the conversation, much more relaxed, and so happy to have Rachel close.

///

Later, Quinn happily climbs into bed beside Rachel. She could’ve gone home to her own apartment, but she didn’t like to pass up an opportunity to be curled up with Rachel. She loves to wake up beside her, she wonders when it was too early to ask Rachel to move in with her. Right now, that was definitely too early. She shakes the thought out of her head, turning to meet her girlfriend’s eyes. Rachel looks at her, pensive, her brows drawn together. She bites her lip, opens her mouth once, and then closes it again. “You can ask me if you want,” Quinn says, knowing she has a question on the tip of her tongue.

Rachel frowns. “What happened tonight?” she asks, reaching out to clutch at Quinn’s hand, “why did you stiffen up when I sat in your lap?”

Quinn didn’t really have a proper answer for that. She didn’t want to explain to Rachel that before her she had never casually touched anyone like this. It just wasn’t in her wheelhouse. She had barely cuddled her past girlfriends, and now she wants Rachel in her arms all the time. “You’re okay with that, right?” Rachel asks when Quinn doesn’t answer for a moment, “with… holding me, touching me,” she pauses, “in public.”

She tacks the words onto the end, like she was thinking more in general, but in public was the issue she wanted to address. Quinn realizes then they haven’t been out with their friends much in the time they’ve been dating, this was one of the first times they’d showcased their relationship, and Quinn, while involuntarily, had acted almost poorly. She didn’t want that to be Rachel’s impression of her, especially when Quinn already knew she was insecure. “God, of course Rachel,” she says, composing her thoughts, “Rachel, I love when you touch me, just the casual stuff makes me feel like the happiest woman in the world. I want to be holding you always, and I definitely have no problem with holding you in public.”

Rachel’s frown slides into a slight smile, running her thumb against Quinn’s hand in soothing motions. “Do you wanna talk about why you reacted that way then?”

Quinn sucks in a deep breath, trying to decide how to word this. She really didn’t know how to tell her girlfriend she was a weirdo who didn’t enjoy cuddling before she met her. “Well, uh, before being with you, I wasn’t really that into being affectionate,” she says, looking anywhere but Rachel’s eyes, “I didn’t care for cuddling, or wrapping my arms around them, and I never ever wanted to do that in front of other people, so I was a little not used to that, but it’s okay. I like it with you. I really love to hold you. I was surprised you just sat in my lap like that, but I liked it. I wanted you there.”

The feeling of Rachel’s hand in hers is grounding, but when she doesn’t respond for a moment, Quinn’s scared that she said the wrong thing, that Rachel thought she was weird. “Quinn Fabray,” Rachel says, the grin on her face widening, “are you saying  _ I  _ made you like cuddling?”

Quinn nods, punctuating her agreement by crawling closer to Rachel and wrapping her free hand over her. Rachel hums happily, moving that much closer, ensuring there was barely any distance between them. “You know, not many people have wanted to cuddle with me before, so it… means a lot to me that you like it with me,” Rachel says. 

Quinn pulls away for a moment to give Rachel a confused look. Why wouldn’t anyone want to cuddle Rachel? She was warm and soft in Quinn’s arms, she smelled wonderful, there were no complaints. Quinn really could hold her all day. “I’ve always loved to cuddle, but Finn hadn’t liked cuddling, I don’t know, maybe it’s a high school boy thing and Brody and I were never really like that. That girl I went out with at the end of college didn’t like me enough I guess. So, really, no one’s ever wanted to cuddle with me. You’re the first one.” 

Quinn looks at Rachel, her eyes soft, her heart open. She hates that Rachel’s past relationships had been like that, but it also makes her smile a bit, that she gets to be the one that holds Rachel, the only one that loves to cuddle just as much as she does. Quinn finds she’s just so in love with the concept that this is both something new for them. She loves this. She loves holding Rachel, she loves being with Rachel. She loves Rachel. And she decides then, to voice that, for the first time. “I love it Rachel, I really do,” she says, taking a deep breath before speaking what feels like one of the most important things she’s ever said, “and, I love you.”

Rachel’s eyes meet hers, flickering with soft tears. Her lips meet Quinn’s, and they kiss for a short second before Rachel pulls away. “I love you too, so much,” she says, her voice sounding almost awed. 

Quinn kisses her again, sloppy and loving and just the sweetest, most wonderful kiss Quinn has ever experienced. She loves Rachel, Rachel loves her, and this just feels so right. They kiss for a while, before Rachel pulls away, leaving Quinn chasing for more. “Not that I don’t love this, baby, but I’m honestly really tired,” she says, and Quinn nods. 

She’s tired too, it’s been a long week, and so she understands. She presses one more kiss to Rachel’s lips, and then flips them so that they’re pressed together, Rachel’s back to Quinn’s front, legs entangled, an arm thrown casually over Rachel’s middle. Rachel takes Quinn’s hand, and presses it to her lips. Quinn smiles, pressing a kiss to the top of Rachel’s head. “I love you,” Quinn says again, after a moment, just because now she can, and she really loves to say it. 

“I love you too,” Rachel says, sounding sleepy. 

She’s adorable, already near sleep even after their conversation and short makeout session, and Quinn thinks it’s the best thing she’s ever witnessed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feel free to kudos and comment! see you tomorrow!


	3. day 3: gaming/watching a movie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again lovely readers, I am back with day three oooh! Today's prompt was gaming or watching a movie, and I picked gaming, because anyone who knows me knows I have a bit of an animal crossing addiction. I wanted to see these two play animal crossing, because I thought they'd be pretty darn cute. I think this is readable without playing the game, and if you have any questions feel free to ask, or animal crossing wiki is pretty helpful too, I definitely utilized it for this. 
> 
> I don't own glee, its characters or its plotlines and i don't own animal crossing or any of its characters either!

It’s Thursday night and Quinn’s looking at her laptop, rereading the chapter that she just wrote, when her wife enters their apartment, coming home from rehearsals. Quinn checks the time, it’s just after six, later than when she usually comes home, so she figures Rachel probably went grocery shopping. She stands to help put away groceries and give her wife a proper hello, but as soon as she enters the foyer where Rachel is taking her shoes off, Quinn can see she didn’t get any groceries. On the floor is one big bag, from GameStop.

Quinn frowns. What could be in the bag? She loved video games, but Rachel rarely bought her anything randomly, or anything that large. She had all the consoles she needed, there were no new add ons that she knew of. Maybe it was just something she had bagged in a random bag. Nevertheless, Quinn was curious. “Rachel, honey what’s in the GameStop bag?” she says, leaning up to press a kiss to her lips.

Rachel hums into the kiss, before pulling away. She opens up the bag, a wicked grin on her face as she pulls out a coral Nintendo Switch Lite. Quinn frowns. Why was Rachel holding a Nintendo Switch? They already had one. Her and Rachel had had many intense Mario Kart tournaments, which was pretty much the only game Quinn lost. She had no idea how Rachel was so good when she couldn’t drive in real life. “Look what I got,” Rachel says happily, shaking the box a little.

Quinn’s eyebrows draw together. “Why did you buy a switch? We already have one,” 

“Well, there’s a game I want to play!” Rachel says, digging around in the bag, “Sam and Brittany have been playing it, I played it with her when I was over there the other day, it’s so cute and sweet and I wanted it, and I thought we could play it together.” 

She finally gets ahold of what she wants, and fishes out two copies of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Quinn sighs. She’d been avoiding the game, it just didn’t interest her, she liked plot driven stories with interesting characters and difficult challenges (Mario Kart being her exception) and Animal Crossing didn’t seem like it had any of those characteristics, except maybe the characters, people did seem to get overly attached to those virtual animals. Quinn looks at Rachel, before shutting her eyes. She knows she’s not going to get out of Animal Crossing now, as much as she might want to. As soon as she opens them, Rachel is looking at her with big pouty brown eyes. “Do you not want to play Animal Crossing with me?” she says, and Quinn knows that voice as her fake sad, bit guilty voice she uses for things like going to see Cats the movie and asking for the last vegan cookie and apparently, playing Animal Crossing.

Quinn has trouble saying no to that voice and those big brown eyes.

“No, uh, we can play Animal Crossing,” she says, ignoring everything in her that just doesn’t care about Animal Crossing, even the slightest bit. 

She’ll play with Rachel for a few days, and then she’ll go back to her old games, it would be fine. “Yay!” Rachel says, excitedly shuffling her way into the living room, standing over the couch while she waits for Quinn to grab her switch and sit.

Quinn sighs, grabbing her switch from its dock, settling on her regular spot on the couch. Her wife immediately climbs into her lap, setting the games on the coffee table and opening the cardboard box that includes her new system. “The pink is lovely isn’t it?” Rachel says as she slides the plastic off and turns it on.

Quinn nods, helping Rachel set the system up, and before she knows it, they’re both starting Animal Crossing. Rachel names her island “TonyIsland” and whines about the lack of a space, while Quinn opts for “Gardenia”, because it makes Rachel smile and she’s doing this for Rachel anyways.

Rachel’s game loads in first, and she’s just so happy to see her first two villagers that Quinn thinks it might be worth it. “Cherry is so cute!” she says happily, shaking her hands in enjoyment, “and… Louie. Well, that’s uhh… why isn’t he wearing any pants? I’m uncomfortable with this,” Rachel looks away from her pantless villager, who’s butt is out, and onto Quinn’s screen, “who are your villagers baby?”

“Paula, she’s cute,” she says, as she approaches her other villager, a brown hippo, “and, Biff?!”

She knows she didn’t get a villager named after the last awful,  _ awful _ man she dated before she finally got with Rachel. That just couldn’t be possible. Rachel giggles beside her, focused intently on her game. “Your villager’s name is Biff?” she says, unable to contain her laughter anymore.

“If you keep laughing about Biff you can play Animal Crossing by yourself,” Quinn says, and Rachel immediately pouts.

“Sorry baby, you’ll be able to get rid of him soon, just like how I’ll be able to get rid of Louie, hopefully,” Rachel says, making a face as she looks at the gorilla villager again.

Quinn chuckles a bit, and tightens the arm she has wrapped casually around Rachel. Maybe Animal Crossing won’t be so bad.

///

Day 3 and Quinn was wrong. Animal Crossing was a disease in their home. She doesn’t know what it has done, but somehow, both she and Rachel were addicted to it. Almost anytime they had free time the two of them were curled up together, working on their islands. It wasn’t bad Quinn supposes, it was time spent with her wife, no matter the activity, and boy did it make Rachel smile, but how could she get so addicted to a silly game? It didn’t even have a plot other than getting K.K. Slider to come to your island. 

By Day 3, both her and Rachel have four villagers, Quinn gained a goofy horse called Papi and (unfortunately) a cub called Judy, who ironically, has the snooty personality. She wonders what her luck was with getting villagers who had the same names as people she’d known in real life, but she needed to get her mom off her island.

Rachel has Bubbles, a cute little hippo she’s absolutely in love with, and Gabi, a bunny who Quinn’s convinced is a lesbian. The acquisition of these two villagers leads Rachel to learn about their personality, something called peppy, which meant pretty much that they were Rachel herself. They were over energetic, cute and they all wanted to be stars. Immediately Rachel knew her whole island would be these villagers, because well, they were exactly like her. TonyIsland had to be full of aspiring stars! Of course, she couldn’t get rid of Cherry, she had gotten pretty attached to the little pink goth dog and would not let her leave. Quinn thought it was pretty cute that she was so attached to what was essentially a string of code, but she also can’t lie and say she didn’t adore Papi with everything she had in her. He was just so  _ weird _ , he loved to study the trees and talk rampantly about snacks, it was adorable. He was her favourite string of code for sure. She really had no idea a digital horse with four strings of dialogue could tug on her heartstrings like this.

Maybe she was a little too soft.

///

“Baby!” Rachel calls far too loud for how close they’re sitting, “I finally got another peppy villager, Wendy, look how cute she is!”

Quinn looks down from the tarantula island she was currently exploring to admire the little blue sheep her wife had found on a Nook Mile Ticket Island. “She’s cute Rach,” she says, turning back to her screen to see she’d been stung by another tarantula. Stupid virtual bugs.

The villager on this island had been some cat named Raymond, and he just didn’t fit the vibe Quinn was trying to build, so she was ignoring him and the little fire he was building as she caught tarantulas. “What are you doing honey?” Rachel says turning in her lap to look at her wife’s switch.

“Catching tarantulas,” she says, and Rachel squirms in her arms.

“Gross,” she says, turning her attention back to her own game, almost giddy at the appearance of Wendy.

“I’m going to sell them to Flick, I want to get the next house upgrade,” she explains.

Rachel hums, “You know, Flick kind of looks like you in senior year,” she says, not even raising her eyes from the screen.

“Excuse me? How does your beautiful wife resemble an anthropomorphic chameleon who collects bugs?”

“Well he has pink hair or spikes or whatever,” she giggles, “and he wears a vest just like you did, and his pants are flannel and you always had flannel tied around your waist, so…” she trails off, turning partially to look at Quinn expectantly, “I’m sure you can see the connection.”

“You’re pushing your luck Fabray,” Quinn says to her, putting her switch down to wrap her arms fully around Rachel, “if you keep it up, I might just quit playing Animal Crossing.”

Rachel shakes her head, turning fully in Quinn’s lap to face her wife, wrapping her arms around her neck, the switch still in her hands, settling against Quinn’s back. “You love me and Papi too much,”

Quinn hums, “I do love Papi, it’s true,”

Rachel’s eyes narrow, “And?”

She pretends to ponder it, tipping her head to the side, tapping her fingers along Rachel’s hip, “You I guess.”

Another big grin spreads across Rachel’s face. “Say it,”

“I love you Rachel,” Quinn says, pressing a kiss to Rachel’s lips.

The switch gets dropped, sliding down Quinn’s back as Rachel deepens the kiss, and she’s more than happy to let tarantulas go if it means she gets to do this.

///

Quinn’s playing later that week, looking for a new villager on Nook Mile Ticket Islands, when she arrives and there, sitting by a little log fire is an adorable penguin with a little hockey helmet on. She smiles at him, bounding over, ready to introduce herself and invite him back to her island. Immediately he starts talking about nature, and she sees his nametag, “Puck?!” she nearly shouts, because fuck really?

She puts the switch down, that's enough for today.

///

“Quinn! Quinn!” Rachel calls, as she enters through the front door, “K.K. Slider is coming to my island today.”

Quinn doesn’t even bother to ask her wife how rehearsals were, she just closes her laptop and reaches for the switches on the coffee table. Rachel takes off her jacket and shoes and settles down in Quinn’s lap, turning on her switch and immediately loading up her Animal Crossing game. She taps through Isabelle’s daily message and immediately heads for resident services, where K.K is playing for a group of peppy villagers who have already gathered to hear his song. Rachel eagerly parks her character in one of the stools and looks so excitedly at Quinn, who watches with a big smile on her face. She had gotten K.K. two days earlier, and her wife hadn’t wanted to know anything about it for fear of spoilers. The little dog starts singing and Rachel listens for all of three seconds before, “he’s kind of sharp don’t you think?”

Quinn laughs. Only Rachel.

///

The month of June begins and Rachel is delighted to learn that it’s wedding season. Everyday she takes more and more intricate photos of Reese and Cyrus, adding more furniture and guests to the event every chance she got. She shows Quinn all the pictures, which are  _ adorable _ , Rachel really has an eye for virtual wedding photos for tiny cartoon alpacas.

June thirtieth comes, and Rachel mourns the end of wedding season. Quinn can tell she’s actually really upset about it, until all of a sudden on the morning of July second, her wife wakes with a start, almost shooting up in bed. “I have an idea,” she says, like her violent motions hadn’t just startled Quinn awake, for seemingly no reason at seven am on a Saturday.

Rachel leaves the bed, and Quinn immediately groans, just wanting to cuddle and sleep a bit longer. Her wife doesn’t come back though, so she allows herself to cross back over to sleep for a few more hours. Or so she thinks. Rachel really wakes her again at just before eight. “Baby, come visit my island, I did something,” she says, shaking Quinn’s arm.

“Rach, can’t it wait a few hours?” she says, pressing her face into the pillow.

“No Quinn it’s important, please,” Rachel says, and there’s that tone again, the one Quinn just can’t say no to.

“Fine,” she grumbles, climbing out of her warm bed and exiting the comfort of her bedroom.

The sun is shining in through their open windows and Rachel’s switch is on the table, on, but she snaps it up before Quinn can see what’s on the screen. That was sort of weird, but Rachel was kind of strange sometimes, so she just grabs her own switch, booting it up, reading Isabelle’s morning announcements and then flying right on over to TonyIsland.

“Come to my house, I’ve got something prepared,” Rachel says, her character guiding Quinn to a house she’s visited many many times in the last few months.

They go inside, and before Rachel takes her to the basement, which is where whatever she wanted to show was set up, she looks up at Quinn with a small little smile on her face. “I love you,” she says, soft, reverent almost.

“I love you too baby, now are you going to show me?”

Rachel nods, turning her gaze to the switch. She leads them both into the basement, and the room that is usually filled with Rachel’s instruments is decked out with all of her wedding items. It looks exactly like a cute little wedding venue, with pews and an altar and even a cake off to the side. Her wife looks at her again, and Quinn knows Rachel sees the small little smile spread across her face. “I thought we could take wedding photos,” Rachel says, “similar to our actual ones. I have dresses for both of us and I set it up as closely to our original wedding as possible and I thought it’d be really sweet.” 

Quinn’s smile widens that much more, as she leans in to give Rachel a kiss. “That would be so cute,” she says, because it’s totally absolutely adorable that her wife wants to take Animal Crossing wedding photos with her, “I really love you, so much.”

“I love you too honey, now go change into your dress, it’s set outside by the swing,” Rachel says, pretty much as controlling as she was when they took their actual wedding photos.

It makes Quinn’s heart warm in her chest. Taking the photos makes butterflies swarm in her stomach, because god as silly as this was, it was perfect. She can’t believe how lucky she is to be married to Rachel, and she supposes Animal Crossing was more than alright. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed it, see you tomorrow! kudos and comment if you dare!


	4. day 4: on a date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooh don't you love specific prompts???? this was kind of a shot in the dark i was like what am i going to do and then i remembered i had a wip i could use, and it turned into this! i hope you like it, not much else to say, they're on a date woohoo!
> 
> I don't own glee, its plotlines or its characters

Quinn Fabray was excited to be back home in Lima. It was not something she’d ever thought she’d say, and it’s not like she’s moving back for good, but it was good to be home. Her and Rachel were visiting to celebrate her fathers’ anniversary, and that was a cause that Quinn found more than worthy. Quinn loves Rachel’s dads, they were some of her favourite people in the world, and so for them, she was more than happy to be home. 

Rachel was between shows, needing something to do, and planning a party seemed like a perfect idea, and standing at that party now, Quinn knew it was. Her wife had done really good, the backyard barbecue more than a success. All of Hiram and Leroy’s friends were milling about in the yard, and Quinn watches as Rachel mingles, talking to their neighbour about something she was too far away to decipher. “Quinn,” a voice from behind her says, startling her into turning to look.

Behind her is Carole Hudson-Hummel, who has a happy smile on her face, one Quinn hadn’t seen since sophomore year of high school, when Finn was her boyfriend. “Uh, wow, hi Carole,” she says, stunned to see her talking to her. 

“I didn’t expect you to be here,” Carole says, and Quinn’s about to butt in and explain that, but Carole continues, “but I asked Hiram, and he told me you and Rachel are married.”

Quinn nods, even though it feels oddly strange to talk to her high school boyfriend’s mom about her wife. Her wife who also dated her son. Almost married him, in fact. 

“Yeah, we’ve been married four years now,” she says, playing with her wedding ring.

“That honestly came as a surprise, considering you both dated Finn in high school.” 

It had come as a surprise to Quinn too, eight years ago when she realized the wildness of her whole relationship with Rachel was due to the fact that she had a crush on her, but she had settled into the whole thing pretty fast. Especially when Rachel admitted she liked her too. Now married four years, she was happier than she had ever been. “Well…” she says, not eager to discuss the specifics of that with Carole Hudson-Hummel. 

Thankfully she’s saved by her wife, who wraps her hand tight around Quinn’s waist and presses a kiss to her cheek. “Carole!” Rachel says excitedly, “it’s been so long!”

Carole nods. “It has been a long time,” she says, “I was just catching up with your wife.”

Rachel smiles, running soft circles on Quinn’s waist, “I see that, I hope she was cordial,” she says, “how’s Finn?”

Quinn resists the urge to scrunch her nose, she doesn’t really care to hear about Finn at all and honestly she doesn’t like that Rachel wants to. She’s not stupid, it’s not like she thinks Rachel wants to hear about Finn because she is desperate to get back together with him, she’s just not eager to rehash everything about their past. “He’s good,” Carole says, “he got married two years ago, and he heads the tire shop now, so all’s well for him. What are you girls up to?”

Quinn watches Rachel smile big in that way Quinn knows is faking humbleness. “Well, Quinn is writing her second novel, the first was critically acclaimed, and I’m getting some major Tony buzz for my current show,” she says.

“Wow, that’s impressive,” Carole says, “I knew you both had big futures ahead of you, never knew it’d be together, but you seem really happy.”   
  
Quinn nods, because god, she’s happier than she’s ever been. Her successful career was of course a big part of that, but more than anything it was her wonderful wife that made life so great. She had never felt so loved and that was pretty much all she’d ever wanted. “Well it’s good to see you both,” Carole says, “I’m going to get a cob of corn.”

And then she’s off, and Quinn and Rachel don’t have a moment alone before one of Rachel’s dads’ friends starts asking them questions about their life.

///

They’re getting into Rachel’s bed later when Rachel brings it up again. “Running into Carole was pretty strange,” she says as Quinn sets her book on the nightstand and flicks the lamp off, “she sure seemed surprised we were together.”

Quinn laughs as she lies down beside her wife, pulling Rachel right into her arms. “Everyone is surprised we’re together baby, sometimes I’m surprised we’re together. In the best way obviously, because I’m extremely lucky, but we didn’t really like each other in high school, and I was majorly repressed, so of course everyone isn’t like oh  _ obviously _ , you two were bound to end up together,” she says.

“Brittany said she knew it when we got together,” Rachel says as she cuddles closer to Quinn.

“Brittany is probably a psychic, she knows all, and is not a regular case,” Quinn says, “but yes, it was strange to run into Carole. I didn’t think I’d see her again after sophomore year.”

Rachel hums, “Yeah, it’s been awhile for me too,” she says, pausing like she’s thinking, “can you believe we both dated Finn?”

Pressing a teasing kiss to Rachel’s neck, Quinn laughs. “You almost married him!”

"Well you said you were going to marry him and become a real estate agent here in Lima, so I don’t think you can talk,” Rachel says.

Quinn groans. God, she had been  _ so  _ stupid in high school. How could she not realize that the feelings she had for Rachel were not antagonistic and that the weird feeling she got when she thought of marrying Finn was something akin to disgust. Her stupidity amazed her sometimes. “God, I was so stupid,” she says, voicing her thoughts, “thank god that didn’t happen.”

“Thank god it didn’t,” Rachel agrees, pressing a kiss to the hand Quinn had thrown over her, “because I’m pretty happy with our lives together. I have pretty much the most perfect wife in the world.”

Quinn’s heart flips in her chest. Even after four years of marriage, any words like that receive a physical reaction from her body. Quinn’s whole being just couldn’t comprehend the way Rachel loved her, couldn’t comprehend just how lucky she was. “Hmmm, I’m pretty great aren’t I?” she says, feeling Rachel shake her head dramatically, “unlike Finn, I mean what did we see in him? The only restaurant he knew was Breadstix!”

Rachel laughs, “You’re not wrong, but what I was about to propose is a little funny given that statement,” she says, pausing, “I thought maybe tomorrow we could go to Breadstix for dinner. You know, for the nostalgia. We can pretend we are in high school and dating then, I thought it would be fun.”

The idea is a little bit silly, but it does sound kind of fun, and Quinn would do whatever her wife wanted. “Yeah, okay that could be fun, is there stuff you can eat there?” she asks, because she does remember Rachel complaining about only ever getting salads.

“Yeah actually, I checked their website and they’ve introduced a few vegan meals, I guess they finally got around to the complaints I left,” 

Quinn smiles. “Breadstix it is then,” she says, pressing a kiss to her wife’s shoulder.

///

Their reservations are at 7pm, reservations Quinn learned Rachel had made in advance of asking her. Her wife knew she’d get what she wanted, and Quinn was more than happy to accommodate Rachel, even if it meant eating subpar Italian food for a night. 

Their table is uncomfortably close to the front door, but Quinn doesn’t bother trying to get them a table deeper in the restaurant, it doesn’t seem to be worth it. They used to sit at tables near the front door all the time in high school, and that was what Rachel was trying to recreate after all. “So you come here often?” Quinn asks as they sit, taking Rachel’s hand in hers from across the table. 

Rachel rolls her eyes playfully, humming as she runs a thumb along Quinn’s wedding ring, “I used to, quite a bit, but it’s been awhile,” 

“Me too,” Quinn says, “but I have been taken on a lot of dates here.”

“Oh yeah?” Rachel asks, a teasing smile on her face, “what was the best one?”

“This one,” she says without hesitation.

“Oh Mrs. Fabray, what makes you so certain? The date has barely started,” 

Quinn’s about to respond, about to tell Rachel that this date could go completely awful and it still wouldn’t matter, because she’s with her wife, when speak of the devil, the date begins to go downhill. “Rachel!” A familiar voice calls out, all Quinn can think is, oh god not him.

“Rachel,” Finn says, as he approaches the table, “I didn’t know you were in town.”

Quinn sighs, removing her hand from Rachel’s and avoiding eye contact with her ex boyfriend, who seems to be here with his wife, the one Carole had mentioned the night before. She’s a small brunette wearing a wide, kind but uncomfortable smile, and Quinn can’t help but notice how she resembles her wife. That’s a little strange. “I am,” Rachel says, drumming her hands across the table.

“And you’re married,” Finn says, eyeing her ring.

Tactful of him to ignore all other pleasantries. He hadn’t even said hello. “I am that as well,” Rachel says, looking across the table at Quinn with a soft, loving smile.

Finn frowns, as he looks between Quinn and Rachel, like he just noticed she was there. “What are you doing here Quinn?” he asks.

“I’m having dinner with Rachel,” she says, simply, because that’s what she was doing. 

Eyes dart between the two of them, and Finn can’t seem to figure out why they are together. Quinn’s stifling giggles. He was a bit stupid wasn’t he? “But, you guys don’t even like each other,” he says, and Quinn really has to hold back a laugh at that. 

Quinn makes eye contact with Rachel, smiles wickedly, and then turns to Finn, “I actually really do like Rachel,” she says, her eyes shifting to see her wife’s reaction, “in fact, I have a bit of a crush on her.”

Finn’s eyes widen, looking at Rachel like she should be scared of Quinn. “D—D—Did you know that?”

Rachel nods, “I did.”

“And your husband just lets you hang out with a girl who has a crush on you?”

Quinn can see Rachel holding back laughter as well, “Well I don’t think they have much of a problem with Quinn liking me,”

“Well I would,” he says, like he has any say over how Rachel’s spouse responds, like his own wife isn’t standing at his side.

“Well, I’m not married to you now am I?” Rachel says, and Quinn can’t help but remember her wife’s words from the night before. 

She’s so happy Rachel’s married to her and not Finn, and she knows Rachel feels the same way. “Besides,” Rachel says after a silent moment, “I have a crush on Quinn too.”

Finn’s eyes look like they might jump right out of his skull. “But you’re married,”

“Yes,” Rachel says, looking at Quinn the most devious grin, moments away from absolving into laughter.

"And your husband doesn’t have problems with you having feelings for Quinn?”

“Oh I know they don’t have problems with me having feelings for Quinn,” Rachel says, reaching across the table to take Quinn’s hand again.

Quinn gives it to her easily. Finn doesn’t seem to notice the action. “What kind of dude would let his wife have feelings for another person?” he says, his cheeks getting red like he’s angry.

“I’m not married to a dude,” Rachel says. Quinn loves her for dragging this out, it’s so fucking silly, she can’t believe Finn is taking this long to clue in.

“Huh? But you’re not, you’re not gay,” he says, “you must be married to a man.”

“Nope, bisexual, and guess what? I’m not. I’m married to Quinn.”

Finn goes white, almost like he’s about to pass out, his eyes darting between the two of them like he just  _ can’t  _ believe it. Quinn can’t blame him, but this is easily one of the funniest things she’s witnessed in years. She’s this close to breaking, laughing harder than she has in awhile. “Married?” he says, “but you’re both not gay.”

“Oh I am certainly gay,” Quinn says, no need to hide it anymore.

“But… but… we… we… dated, and uh sophomore year?”

“Yeah, still gay,” she confirms.

He continues to sputter and finally his wife rubs a hand up his back. “Okay well, we will be going now,” she says, “nice to meet you both, hope you enjoy dinner.” 

Quinn’s glad she has some common sense as she literally drags her husband away. After that though, she can’t hold it in. The laughter escapes her, and it just doesn’t stop. Rachel starts laughing too, and god that perfect laugh joining hers only makes Quinn laugh more. The situation was just so silly, so awkward and so perfectly them. Eventually it dies down, the both of them still snickering but no longer in complete stitches. “God,” Quinn sighs, “did you see the look on his face when you said we were married? It was like he saw a ghost.”

“How about when you said you had a crush on me! I thought he was going to have an aneurysm!” Rachel giggles.

“I thought he was gonna pop a blood vessel for sure when he was trying to do the math to figure out what was going on,” she agrees, squeezing the hand Rachel had taken while the conversation occurred.

Rachel’s smiling from ear to ear, giggles still leaking from her mouth anytime she remembers the incident, and Quinn thinks she’s the most beautiful woman she’s ever seen. She loves Rachel so much, and being with her is perfect, even in a shitty italian restaurant that plagues her memories, even when running into their collective ex boyfriend. It didn’t matter, Quinn just felt lucky, all the time, because Rachel chose her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again please comment and kudos, and i'll see you tomorrow!


	5. day 5: kissing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i mean i thought yesterday's prompt wasn't specific, i had no idea! this was going to devolve into a bunch of different kiss scenes but this one grabbed me and i accidentally wrote it way too long to just be a vignette in a one shot for this collection, but I will come back to that idea for sure! happy rachel berry wins a tony day everyone, i hope it was good, i watched funny girl today, so i am definitely feeling rachel's energy today. hope this is to your liking!!
> 
> I do not own Glee, its characters or its plotlines

Quinn’s been in Rachel’s apartment for two hours now, and she finds she hopes Quinn never leaves. Quinn visits from Yale fairly regularly, and Rachel’s been to New Haven a few times as well, and she hates it every time they have to part. It’s partly because she knows she’s developed an absolutely massive, mind blowing, intense, gooey, gross crush on Quinn, but she also just loves to be around her, also probably related to that giant crush though. Right now, they’re curled really close on the couch, watching Chicago, because somehow Quinn had never seen it, and that was a travesty of the highest order. Rachel wasn’t one to get distracted, especially when watching a musical, but every time a song wasn’t playing, she found herself getting lost in how  _ close  _ she was to Quinn. Her head is tucked into Quinn’s shoulder, their hands intertwined under the cover of a soft blanket Rachel refused to watch TV without. Rachel’s so close to Quinn that she can smell the soft scent of lavender shampoo. It’s driving her a bit crazy, and she thinks she might be a little creepy sniffing away at Quinn, but she smells incredible, and Rachel can’t really help it.

After Cell Block Tango, Quinn lets go of Rachel’s hand and reaches for the remote. Rachel mourns the loss of Quinn’s closeness and her hand, but as she returns, she looks at Rachel with the most somber, sullen look on her face, and so she immediately sobers up. “Rachel,” Quinn says, “I have something to tell you.” 

Rachel nods, “yeah?”

“Uh,” she says, running her fingers through blonde hair, “look, this is hard to say, even to you when I know you’ll be accepting, but I just…” she trails off, looking at Rachel.

Rachel can see the words trapped in her eyes, she knows how much Quinn wants to say whatever it is she’s struggling with, so she says nothing, and reaches out for her hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. Quinn looks at their hands, a small smile slipping onto her face. She takes in a shaky breath, meets Rachel’s eyes, and, “I’m gay.”

Eyes widening, Rachel tries to comprehend the words that she just heard. They play over and over again in her head, like some gay montage in a terrible movie. She doesn’t know what she was expecting from Quinn but it was not this. Quinn was gay? Quinn liked girls? Quinn liked girls. Quinn was a girl who Rachel, a girl, liked, and she liked girls. God, did that mean she had a chance? Because suddenly it sure feels like she does. She knows that shouldn’t be her first thought, that she should be happy and congratulating her friend on coming out, but her mind is moving a mile a minute. Was it at all possible Quinn could like her back? Images start flashing in her mind, kissing Quinn, holding Quinn’s hand, dating Quinn, loving Quinn, when Quinn’s voice clues her back into the conversation, “Rachel, I know you’re not homophobic or anything, but a response would be, uh, comforting,” she says, and then Rachel does something, so utterly stupid.

She’s not sure she uses any part of her brain in making this decision, but her heart and her body are screaming for her to do it, so she just leans forward, pressing her lips to Quinn’s. They kiss for all of an eighth of a second before Rachel’s common sense clues in and she pulls away, her heart racing, because that felt good and holy fuck why did she do that? “I am so sorry,” Rachel says, shifting farther away from Quinn because god could she not control herself?

“I’m really sorry, I so shouldn’t have done that,” she continues, “you just came out to me and I took advantage of you when I should’ve comforted you and told you I was proud of you, which I am but my own feelings got in the way and I know that just because you’re gay doesn’t mean you’re attracted to me or want to kiss me or anything in fact i was utterly stu—” 

“Rachel, stop,” Quinn says, “you’re rambling.”

“Oh, right, sorry,” Rachel says, looking at her hands, decidedly avoiding eye contact with Quinn.

“Rachel,” Quinn whispers, “look at me.”

Hesitating, Rachel looks up at her, seeing that Quinn didn’t look all that upset. It was a bit reassuring, but not enough to speak anymore, she wasn’t going to continue making a fool of herself. “First,” Quinn says, “you don’t have to apologize for the rambling, I like it, I think it’s really cute, but you were getting way ahead of yourself and I thought you might just strain both your voice and your brain.”

Rachel smiles at her a little, still nervous, still cursing herself for her dumb actions. “Second,” Quinn continues, “you didn’t take advantage of me, and though I would’ve liked to hear I’m proud of you, I was certainly not unhappy with you, because to address the final part of your ramble, I actually am, very much attracted to you Rachel, and I very much would like to kiss you.”

Once again, a revelation of Quinn’s has Rachel’s eyes widening. There was no way Quinn just said that. She wasn’t actually into Rachel, Rachel’s dreams weren’t about to come true right before her eyes, with Chicago paused behind them. “Well, I am proud of you,” Rachel says, getting that out of the way, “but uh, you… you seriously are, um, attracted to me?”   


Rachel Berry has never once in her life struggled to get words out of her mouth so much, especially when she’d already had the words spoken to her, but something in her finds it so hard to believe that Quinn freaking Fabray would find her attractive. She was the prettiest girl Rachel had ever seen, why would she ever think anything like that about her?

But Quinn was nodding, biting her lip and looking at Rachel with the softest smile she’s ever seen. “Yeah Rach, I mean, you’re kind of the reason I realized I was gay,”

It’s like Quinn wanted Rachel to have a breakdown. How was she just supposed to take that and not lose her mind? Rachel made Quinn realize she was gay? This couldn’t be real life, was she alive right now? Did she bang her head on the table when Quinn got here and she was currently in a coma in the hospital dreaming everything? Because that seemed far more likely then the next words Quinn speaks. “And I hope I’m not too forward in saying this, but I sort of have had feelings for you for like, a long time, so being kissed right now was like best case scenario in a way I could not have imagined,” she says, playing nervously with her hands.

“No! You’re not being too forward at all, I mean, I kissed you, and I did that because I have like a huge, huge crush on you,” Rachel says. She certainly did not think she’d be admitting that again.

Quinn’s smile widens. “You have a crush on me?”

Rachel groans, “Yes, are you making fun of me for it?” she asks, Quinn quickly shakes her head.

“That would be hypocritical of me,” she says, “given that I have a huge,  _ huge _ crush on you too, and am about to ask if you’d like to go to brunch with me tomorrow, as a date.”

“I would love to, on one condition,” Rachel says, her hand reaching out for Quinn’s again. She can’t help but smile almost crazily when Quinn takes it and squeezes.

“And what is that?”

“You let me kiss you again,” she says, because god she did  _ not  _ get enough the first time.

“Oh I definitely can make that happen,” Quinn says, her voice almost husky, sending shivers down Rachel’s spine.

Quinn leans forward, her lips inches away from Rachel’s, and by a movement Rachel’s unsure who performed, their lips are touching, and  _ wow. _ She hates thinking of Finn right now, but she remembers asking him what kissing Quinn was like in junior year, and fireworks was not a good enough explanation. Kissing Quinn was like, Rachel couldn’t even describe it, not right now, when all she can think about are Quinn’s lips against hers, soft, tasting of cherry lip gloss and just everything Rachel thinks she’s ever wanted. Who knew a first (well technically second) kiss could be so devastating? Kissing had never felt this damn good.

Eventually Quinn pulls away, leaving Rachel chasing for more, but she just laughs, shakes her head, and dives right back in. On any other night, Rachel might think not finishing Chicago was a crime, but right now, it didn’t even cross her mind. All she could think was she never wanted the feeling of Quinn’s lips on hers to end. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading, feel free to kudos and comment, I'll see you again tomorrow <3


	6. day 6: wearing each other's clothes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here we go folks, wearing each other's clothes. This is a few minutes late, and by a few minutes i mean i'm literally typing this at 12:02 am, I hope you can forgive me. I had one idea, and thought of another, so I thought I'd do a little mergaroo, hopefully it turns out to your liking. happy reading folks
> 
> I don't own Glee, its characters or its plotlines

Quinn doesn’t even notice. She was running late that morning, grabbing whatever she could find to cover her body, she doesn’t even notice the skirt’s not hers. She zips up the plaid skirt, tucks in a white button up shirt, throws on her cheerios jacket and climbs down the stairs, skipping breakfast, because if she doesn’t she’ll be late for school. 

She still doesn’t notice for a while. It fits well enough into her wardrobe that no one thinks much of it until she enters her second period calculus class and Mercedes looks at her outfit as she sits down. “Is that a new skirt?” she asks. 

Quinn frowns, looking down at the skirt she’d chosen that morning, her eyes widening when she realizes. She was wearing her girlfriend’s skirt. Her  _ secret _ girlfriend’s skirt. She attempts to school her facial expression, making sure she has no discernible reaction to the skirt, because that might tip Mercedes off to something different. “Oh yeah,” she says, smoothing her hands over it, “I got it on the weekend.”

It wasn’t totally a lie, Rachel had stayed over most of the weekend, as her mom was out of town visiting Frannie. Her girlfriend had shown up on Friday night (they were to have a movie marathon, apparently Quinn just  _ needed  _ to see Hello, Dolly!) in that skirt, but she’d spilt on it, so Quinn promised she’d wash it and return it. She didn’t expect she’d forget, and just put it on, but here she was, and Mercedes had noticed it. Mercedes hums, “It’s a bit different for you,” she says, and Quinn nods. 

“You know, just branching out,” and it sounds fake, even to her. 

Mercedes looks at her with a frown, like she isn’t sure why Quinn’s being weird about the skirt, but she doesn’t get the chance to say anything because the teacher starts talking. Quinn’s thankful for that, running her hands over Rachel’s skirt again and praying, just praying that no one else notices.

///

God doesn’t listen to her, because in third period history, Finn of all people asks about the skirt. “That skirt looks familiar,” he says, “I swear Rachel has one just like it.”   
  
Quinn tries not to blush, tries not to expose herself, not that she ever thinks Finn has enough brain cells to put two and two together. She wonders how Finn could even recognize a skirt Rachel owned when he didn’t even remember she was vegan, but she supposes the reasoning is that Finn would check her girlfriend out, and she really doesn’t want to think about that. At all. In fact, it sort of makes her want to beat him up. But that’s not the point right now. The point is not outing herself to her ex boyfriend. Quinn hums, looking down at the skirt, “Weird,” she says, “this is mine, got it last weekend.”

He looks at her confused, looking at the skirt and then at her again. “Huh, well Rachel definitely has the same one, don’t wear them on the same days I guess,” he says, laughing like it’s the funniest joke he’s ever heard.

Quinn has to hold her tongue not to say that that certainly won’t be a problem.

///

At lunch, she joins Rachel in the auditorium, and it takes her all of thirty seconds to notice what Quinn’s wearing. “Is that my skirt?” she says, skipping all other pleasantries.

“It is, and apparently it’s the talk of the town,” Quinn says, pressing a kiss to her girlfriend’s lips, “even Finn noticed.”

Rachel hums, “How have you been lying that away?” she asks, pulling Quinn over to the piano.

“I said it’s a new skirt that I got on the weekend,” Quinn says, sitting down on the bench and pulling Rachel into her lap, “I’m not sure Mercedes believed me, but Finn told me to not wear it on the same day as you.”

Rachel runs a hand through Quinn’s hair, swiping it off her face, and then cupping her cheeks, pulling her in for a soft kiss. “I don’t think anyone would expect you to be wearing my skirt, so I doubt they’ll put it together,” she says after they kiss for a moment.

“Yeah, I guess not,” she says, and for some reason, it kind of disappoints her.

///

Rachel’s wrong though, because after cheerio practice, Quinn’s leaving the locker room with Santana, when she sees what she’s wearing. “That’s not your skirt,” Santana says, eyeing the outfit, almost glaring.

“Yes it is,” Quinn answers as confidently as she can.

“No it’s not, Berry was wearing it on Friday,” she says, “I remember because I insulted it, and she told me it was a classic look. So tell me Q, why are you wearing Berry’s skirt?”

Sputtering, Quinn tries to collect herself, her thoughts, her words, tries to come up with any reason why she might be wearing Rachel’s skirt when Santana’s jaw drops. “You’re dating her, aren’t you?” 

Quinn doesn’t say anything for a moment, looking at her feet. This wasn’t really how she wanted people to find out she was dating Rachel, but she doesn’t want to lie. It would feel wrong to outwardly deny the feelings she has for Rachel, so she nods. “Uh yeah,” she says, “we’re dating.”

It actually feels incredibly good to say it, let it out into the world, not have that secret brewing inside her anymore. It feels so freeing, and suddenly, she wonders why she was ever keeping a secret at all. She doesn’t know what will happen with her mom, but god, telling someone she was dating Rachel was kind of the best feeling ever, and she wants to do it again, and again, and again as many times as she can. “Rachel’s my girlfriend,” she says more confidently, a smile sliding onto her face.

“Yeah that’s not at all surprising,” Santana says, “you two are always making eyes at each other, I just figured you hadn’t made a move yet.”

Quinn holds back a gasp, “was I that obvious?”

“Not to everyone else I’m sure, but Britt is a bit of a psychic, and I have an eye for these things, especially gay things, so I saw it. Always thought it was majorly gross though, I mean, Berry?”

Quinn rolls her eyes, “That’s my girlfriend you’re talking about, Lopez. Watch your mouth,” she warns, and god does it feel good to defend her girlfriend. She’s been wanting to do that  _ forever _ .

“Wow, you fighting for Berry is going to take some getting used to, considering your old ways,” Santana teases.

“Well, I’m a changed woman,” she says, “and for the better.”

“Gross,” Santana says.

“Thanks,” she says, because as much as her friend pretends to be disgusted, she knows she’s really not, “I’ve gotta go, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Gotta go make out with Berry or something?”

“Or something,” Quinn says, getting in her car, immediately heading over to Rachel’s house.

///

Quinn knocks on the door, smiling as it opens to Hiram Berry, who smiles right back at her. “Hi Quinn, Rachel’s upstairs,” he says, shuffling aside so she can step in.

“Thank you,” she says, nodding at him, and turning to the stairs.

She climbs up them, then pauses in front of Rachel’s door, realizing what had guided her all the way here. She wants to come out. Saying the words to Santana had been eye opening. It wasn’t worth hiding. If something shitty happened she had all the support she needed, in the Berrys, who’d accepted her like their own when her and Rachel told them about their relationship, Santana, who knows what it’s like to lose family over something like this, and Mercedes, who supported her through being kicked out once, and Quinn knows she’d do it again in a heartbeat. With that in mind, she takes a deep breath and knocks on the door. 

Rachel opens it, lighting up as soon as she sees Quinn. “I wasn’t expecting you,” she says, leaning up to give her a quick kiss, and then moving to let her into the room, settling on the bed. “What’s up, honey?”

“Uh, well, Santana knew the skirt was yours,” she says, standing awkwardly in the room she’s normally most comfortable in, “and she put two and two together, so… she knows. About us.”

Rachel's eyes widen as she stands from the bed. “Are you okay, baby? Was it alright?” she says, her voice laced with genuine concern for Quinn.

It makes Quinn’s heart flip in her chest. She nods, wrapping an arm around Rachel and bringing them back to the bed to sit down. “I’m fine, she was fine, just Santana, you know,” she says, taking a deep breath before continuing, “but it made me realize something.”

Rachel’s brow furrows, reaching for Quinn’s hand to squeeze, encouraging her to continue. “I don’t want to hide anymore,” she says, looking into Rachel’s eyes, “it felt so good to tell someone my real feelings for you. It made me happier than you can imagine, and I want to tell everyone about us. I’m tired of the world not knowing how much I love you, Rachel.”

Rachel looks right back at her, tears clouding her beautiful brown eyes. “Are you serious, Quinn?”

“Deadly. I don’t care anymore,” she says, “so what if something happens? I have you and your dads and all my friends and I just don’t wanna hide myself anymore. It’s not helping anyone.”

Rachel smiles, leaning forward, pressing a kiss to her mouth, slow and loving, like she just couldn’t bear not kissing her. “I love you,” Rachel says against her lips as she pulls away, “so, how do you want to tell people?”

Just like Rachel to get right down to business. Quinn smiles though, taking her jacket off of her shoulders and holding out in front of Rachel. “I thought we could do a more blatant sharing of clothes, you know, just to fit the theme,” she says.

Rachel eyes the jacket, looking back to Quinn. “You want me to wear your letterman?”

Quinn nods. Rachel stares for a moment longer, then she takes it from Quinn’s hand, slipping her arms into it and turning to her girlfriend. “How do I look?” she says.

The only word that crosses Quinn’s mind is perfect, because god, it is. Seeing Rachel in her jacket, it drives her a little mad. She knows she’s a bit possessive, but she didn’t realize just how much until she saw her girlfriend wearing something that would so clearly show that she was hers. It was a bit insane. “You look… incredible,” Quinn says, “wow, just wow. I can’t wait for everyone to see you in it.”

Rachel giggles a little at Quinn’s almost loss for words. “Thank you baby,” she says, pressing her lips to Quinn’s.

Quinn happily kisses her girlfriend, the knowledge that tomorrow everyone will  _ know _ , making it only that much better.

///

Quinn doesn’t get to see Rachel in the morning, and it’s a fucking shame. All she wants to do is see her girlfriend, hold her hand, maybe give her a kiss, but no, Sue calls her into her office for some minor cheerio matter, and so she doesn’t get to see her. Second period rolls around, and she sits next to Mercedes, who has a wicked grin on her face. “Good for you Fabray,” Mercedes says without context.

Quinn raises an eyebrow. Somehow Mercedes’s smile widens. “I saw Rachel,” she says, and it’s explanation enough.

“Oh, yeah,” Quinn says, her own smile widening, “we’re dating.”

“So the skirt wasn’t yours was it?” Mercedes asks, and Quinn shakes her head, “I’m really proud of you, Q, and so happy for you. You and her, surprisingly, that makes a lot of sense.”

“Thank you,” she says, pulling Mercedes into a hug.

She knew she’d have her support, but hearing it means so much.

///

Third period with Finn is not as comforting. “Rachel’s wearing your jacket,” he says, as soon as he sees her.

She doesn’t have time for his shit. “Yes, that’s typically what girlfriends do when their partners letter, Finn.”

“So she’s your girlfriend?” 

“That she is,” Quinn responds, opening her books, not even looking at him.

“Just randomly? Suddenly you’re dating?” he asks, almost angry.

“We’ve been dating for four months Finn, not that it’s any of your business,” she says.

“Wow,” he says, and the words seem to stun him into a silence Quinn is more than thankful for.

“That skirt you were wearing yesterday, it _ was  _ Rachel’s wasn’t it?” he asks.

Quinn just rolls her eyes.

///

Finally it’s lunch time, and Quinn makes sure to get to the cafeteria before Rachel, so she can see her girlfriend walk in, looking gorgeous in her jacket. The Glee table fills up around her, her friends talking about a bunch of things, she knows her name and Rachel’s are being thrown around, but her eyes are glued to the door.

Rachel enters, holding her lunch, and god, sure enough she looks incredible. Everyone’s eyes are on her, because Rachel Berry is wearing Quinn Fabray’s jacket, but as soon as Rachel spots her, it’s clear she has eyes for no one else. Quinn’s heartbeat quickens in her chest.

Before she knows it, Rachel’s beside her, a big, adorable, loving smile on her face as she stands over Quinn. “Hi baby,” she says, dropping a soft kiss to Quinn’s lips.

It feels like the greatest thing in the world doing this, and she can’t even resist scooping Rachel into her lap. Rachel giggles against her lips, settling close. All eyes are on the both of them, but Quinn couldn’t care less. Her focus is entirely on the girl wearing her jacket. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you liked it, feel free to kudos and comments and ill see you again, technically today.


	7. day 7: halloween

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good evening folks, i am back again with another late one, today i am doing halloween, even if it is June. I will warn you, i recently watched Funny Girl, and i can only imagine from here on out i will mention it a large amount in every fic i ever write, because i love it and i think there's a million adorable references i could make, as you will see when you read this. I think it's readable for a non Funny Girl watching audience, but i do recommend the movie! it's great, watch it! Also enjoy this!!! It also fits into the same universe as inimitabler's fic for today, looking at us planning things!
> 
> I don't own glee, its character or its plotlines, and i also don't own funny girl or any of its lyrics, characters and quotes i used!

“Baby, do you think Santana still has that fur hat she wore junior year?” Rachel asks from the living room.

Quinn’s a few feet away, at their kitchen table, trying to work on her novel, but struggling profusely because Rachel’s watching Funny Girl, and she’s singing along, and Quinn just cannot concentrate when she could be listening to her girlfriend sing away. That was a much more pleasant and enjoyable use of her time. “Uh, she might,” Quinn says, “why?”

Rachel doesn’t say anything for a moment, Quinn knows it’s almost time for Don’t Rain On My Parade, so she might get distracted from their conversation, but Rachel does continue. “Because well, Halloween is coming up,” she hums, “and I thought maybe this year we could go as Fanny and Nick.”

Rachel pauses the movie, peering over the couch at Quinn to see her reaction. Quinn just smiles at her, surprised it took Rachel this long to ask to go as her favourite character in the world. They’d gone as a musical theatre couple every year they’d been together, Marius and Cosette, Glinda and Elphaba (they weren’t a couple, but both Quinn and Rachel argued they were more than a little gay), and Maureen and Joanne last year, but not Fanny and Nick. Quinn had chalked it up to the fact the two of them got divorced, and that they weren’t very good for each other, but it seems that wasn’t it. She’d love to get to the bottom of it, but first she’s gonna tease her girlfriend. “You want us to go as a couple that gets divorced?”

Rachel shakes her head. “Well I want to go as them before they get divorced, but just because they get divorced doesn’t mean they’re not an iconic couple that we should definitely recreate,” she says, looking hopefully at Quinn.

“Of course we can,” Quinn says, because they’ve been doing broadway couple costumes since day one, why would she ever say no?

Plus if she’s being honest, how could she say no? Rachel’s looking at her with those big brown eyes, pouty and hopeful and it’s not like she’s asking for anything bad, she just wants to dress as her favourite musical character, and it’s not like Quinn would let someone else be her Nick Arnstein. Nope, no way, even if they do get divorced. Rachel smiles widely, hopping right over the couch, and straight into Quinn’s arms. “Thank you,” Rachel says, leaning down to give her a kiss, and yep this is more than worth one night dressed as Nick Arnstein.

They kiss for a few minutes, a fantastic distraction from Quinn’s work, but Rachel pulls away, a shy, goofy smile on her face. “Sorry baby, she was just about to sing Don’t Rain On My Parade,” she says, stepping away and going back to the couch.

Quinn playfully shakes her head, turning her gaze back to her laptop. Only Rachel would stop kissing because Fanny Brice was about to start singing Don’t Rain On My Parade. 

///

Later in the week, when Quinn’s at work, Rachel calls Santana. “Berry, what’s up?” Santana greets.

“Hello Santana,” she says, “I hope all is well with you and Brittany?”

Santana scoffs. “Berry quit it with the pleasantries, you saw us three days ago, what do you want?”

Rachel rolls her eyes, “I was wondering if you still have that fur hat you wore in junior year,” she asks.

“Oh god, not that hat,” Santana groans, “why did I ever wear it?”

Rachel knows it’s not the reason she would wear it, a tribute to Barbra, so she’s not sure why Santana would. But that’s not the point. “Do you still have it?”

“I know I said no pleasantries but damn, cut to the chase, huh?” Santana says, as Rachel listens to sounds of her shuffling about her apartment, “yes I still have it. I keep it in my closet as a reminder of the fashion failures of my past. I honestly wonder how I made fun of you with a good conscience wearing that on my head.”

Rachel hums, she doesn’t know how Santana made fun of her in good conscience at all, but they’re friends now, so she elects not to mention it. “It is faux correct?” she asks, because as much as she loves Barbra, she would not be wearing real fur.

“It’s faux Rachel, how would a seventeen year old afford real fur?” she says, pausing, “what do you want it for anyways?”

“It’s a part of Fanny Brice’s iconic Don’t Rain On My Parade outfit,” Rachel says, “I’ve collected all the other pieces, I just need this one.”

“So for some weird cosplay of some dead girl you’re obsessed with?”

“It’s for Quinn and I’s halloween costume, if you must know Santana, we are going as Nick and Fanny from Funny Girl,” she says.

“Mhm, finally convinced Fabgay to go as your favourite musical characters huh?”

“This is the first time I’ve asked her to do these specific characters,” Rachel says.

“I’m surprised you didn’t ask like the day you got together,” Santana says, and Rachel sucks in a breath.

The only reason she hadn’t is because she had figured Quinn was bound to get tired of her. She had been truly scared that Quinn, the girl she’d been pining after for a long time, would grow weary of Rachel’s overbearing personality and annoying selfish ambition, so in turn, she’d been scared to ask Quinn to do Nick and Fanny. She knew if she had, and Quinn had left her, she’d be broken, and well, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to watch Funny Girl the same way. She didn’t want to ruin the movie that meant everything to her. But now, coming up on their fourth halloween, Rachel knows that this is going to last. Quinn loves her for all her eccentricities, she loves Rachel’s ambition, and she loves how much Rachel loves Funny Girl. Rachel knew Quinn was the one, and while she’d yet to do anything about it, she had taken the first step towards letting Quinn know they were destined to be together forever (even if Quinn didn’t know it) and that was dressing up as Fanny and Nick. It was truly a big step for her, the mental confirmation that this was it for her. And it really was, there was no one else for her. Just Quinn.

“Berry?” Santana says, when Rachel doesn’t say anything for a moment.

“Right, sorry, can I come pick it up later before my show?” she responds, not even answering Santana’s previous statement.

“Yeah, take it with you, don’t bring it back,”

“Thanks,” she says, hanging up.

///

On the night of Halloween, they’re going to a party at a nice bar, for dancing, hanging out, drinking, and Quinn can tell Rachel’s excited. She’s wearing the orange dress that Quinn has no idea how she managed to find, an exact replica of the one from the movie to the point that Quinn wonders if her girlfriend somehow got it from the movie, because it’s not like they sell Fanny Brice costumes at Spirit Halloween. 

Quinn herself is plastering on a skinny moustache (that one actually was courtesy of Spirit Halloween) and slicking back her hair, trying to perfect her Nick Arnstein look to the extent that Rachel had with Fanny. Rachel had begged her to dye her hair for the night, but Quinn had work on Monday, and she quite liked being a blonde. 

Rachel turns to her right as she slides the awful fur hat on her head, and it makes Quinn smile. “Wow, Fanny Brice is in my bathroom,” she says, taking her girlfriend by the waist.

“Hmm, blonde Nick Arnstein is in mine, so I suppose it makes sense,” Rachel teases, pressing a kiss to her lips.

The kiss doesn’t last very long though, because Rachel pulls away, and makes a disgusted face, one Quinn never wants to see after her girlfriend kisses her. “What?” she asks.

"I’m so glad you don’t have a moustache,” she says, scrunching her nose, “it’s gross and tickley.”

Quinn laughs, pulling Rachel into a hug, so thankful for this girl, even when she makes disgusted faces over a moustache she requested Quinn wear. She just loves her so much.

///

They arrive at the party an hour or two later. On the way there, Rachel had sung Don’t Rain On My Parade, annoying the fuck out of the cab driver, but charming the hell out of Quinn, who couldn’t deny it was one of her favourite songs to hear Rachel sing. She just sounded so good, and it reminds her of high school, makes her happy to remember how far they’ve come. Quinn presses a kiss to the side of her head, and then exits the car, helping Rachel out.

All their friends are there, when they enter, crowded around a large table. Jesse, Sam and Blaine have dressed as the fucking powerpuff girls (powerpuff boys?), Brittany was dressed happily as Princess Peach and Santana beside her, looking decidedly less happy as Mario. Mercedes was dressed as one of the Muses, from Hercules, looking just like the goddess she really was. It made Quinn smile, all their friends looked fantastic, and well some of them looked a bit silly. 

Her and Rachel make their way over, and immediately Santana rolls her eyes. “That moustache looks great on you Fabray,” she teases.

Quinn hums, “Rachel hates it, apparently it’s gross and tickley,” 

Rachel shakes her head. “I do not hate the moustache, it perfects the look, I hate how kissing the moustache feels, but I can sacrifice kissing for Nick Arnstein,” she says, punctuating her statement with a nod.

“You can sacrifice kisses? Do I not get a say?” Quinn asks, to no avail. Rachel just shakes her head.

“I’m gonna need a drink,” she says, and off to the bar she goes, ready to order both her favourites and Rachel’s.

///

They’re dancing together out on the floor, Rachel well on her way to drunk, and Quinn, minorly tipsy. Rachel’s looking at her with a happy smile, like the night is just perfect, and Quinn thinks it might be. Under Rachel’s breath she hums a song Quinn recognizes well, You are Woman, I am Man, and while it’s kind of a gross song, it makes her smile.

She waits till Rachel’s humming reaches the part she wishes to sing, and then just loud enough for Rachel to hear she sings, “You are woman, I am… woman,” 

Rachel giggles for a moment, then continues right on in the line, “Let’s kiss,” and she leans right in.

“I thought we weren’t kissing tonight,” Quinn says, gesturing to the moustache.

“You just sang Funny Girl, you think I’m not going to kiss you? Nope, you’re getting kisses,” she says, and well Quinn isn’t going to say no to that.

They kiss, and it makes Quinn’s heart spin in her chest, just like always.

///

They’re in the cab on the way home, when Rachel starts singing again, this time My Man, and god, even drunk she sounds incredible. “Oh my woman, I love her so,” Rachel says, leaning into Quinn, pressing a few kisses to her neck before continuing, “She’ll never know.”

“I know baby, I know you love me,” Quinn says, pressing a kiss to Rachel’s hair. 

Rachel smiles, continuing her song, “When she takes me in her arms, the world is bright, all right,” she sings, giggling as Quinn tucks her arms around her. 

The song continues, and Quinn’s heart flutters in her chest when Rachel declares that she’ll be Quinn’s forevermore. She thinks she’d really like that.

///

In bed, with her moustache removed, Quinn thinks Rachel’s asleep, until she turns over and meets her eyes, a soft smile on her face. “I loved tonight,” Rachel says, “I’ve never wanted anyone to be my Nick Arnstein before, just you.”

“Well, I would never have anyone else be my Fanny Brice, just you,” Quinn says, and she means it, because well no one else would ever make her dress up as Funny Girl characters, but also, Rachel’s it for her. There was no one else she’d ever wear couple’s costumes with again.

“Well, where I come from on Henry Street,” Rachel says, and Quinn feels butterflies in her stomach because she knows she’s quoting Funny Girl, but she also knows what follows this particular quote, “when two people sort of love each other, oh never mind, never mind.” 

Quinn smiles, she never in a million years thought she’d be drunk in bed with Rachel Berry quoting Funny Girl, but she is, and she loves it, so she follows with Nick’s next line, “Well what do they do when they sort of love each other?”

Rachel smiles so wide right back at Quinn, and says, “Oh. One of them says ‘Why don’t we get married?’” 

Quinn knows the rest of the scene, of course she does, she’s seen Funny Girl a million times since they started dating, but she doesn’t continue it, because god, Rachel’s basically asking Quinn to marry her, so all she can do is lean in and give her the softest kiss in the world. She wants to marry this girl so much, she wants to be the one who Rachel drunk quotes Funny Girl with until the day she dies.

Rachel is pretty drunk and sleepy, and Quinn doesn’t know if she’ll remember this conversation in the morning, but Quinn knows she will, and it’s the inciting factor in her plan to buy a ring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> much appreciation for reading, see you again tomorrow, kudos and comment if you'd like!


	8. day 8: shopping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof almost midnight again, don't be shocked if this becomes my regular posting time! i will get all thirty days done though, fret not! today is shopping, and well judy fabray goes shopping! i hope you like it, i feel like it was not as funny as i intended it to be, so let me know what you think.
> 
> i don't own glee, its plotlines or characters or any other popular culture referenced.

Judy knew there was something up with Quinn. She wasn’t sure it was bad, her daughter seemed extremely happy, well put together, and her grades weren’t suffering at all, the shiny new Yale acceptance (early admission!) hadn’t faltered. But she knew something was up with her. Her daughter was doing far too many church related things. Quinn had always been a good Christian, always taking part in the celibacy club, going to church, the lot of it, but recently it had become too much. She had God Squad meetings everyday, church functions on the weekend, at one point she even went on a mission trip! She didn’t know how to prove it, but she kind of figured Quinn had a boyfriend, because one day after a “God Squad” meeting, Quinn had come home with bruises on her neck, and that one was incredibly hard to explain away. Quinn’s curling iron excuse just didn’t work when she’d seen her that morning, but Judy hadn’t said anything. Her and Quinn were getting closer again, after the incident in sophomore year, and she doesn’t want to push Quinn into telling her anything she wasn’t ready to share. She figures she can trust her daughter to be more careful this time around.

It’s Sunday, and they just got home from actual church, so Quinn’s next comment surprises her a bit. “Mom, I have to go, I have a church meeting,” 

Judy frowns. “I didn’t hear about it from any of the other moms,” she says, testing the waters.

“Just scheduled, we figured we needed some more time with the new members,” Quinn says, referencing a previous statement she’d made in the weeks earlier about new members to the church’s youth group.

Judy just nods, “See you later Quinnie,” she says with a smile.

“Bye mom, I’ll be home before dinner,” and then she exits the room, leaving Judy alone wondering what the hell was going on.

Judy sighs, looking down at the kitchen counter. She supposes if she’s alone in the house she might as well get some errands done, so she grabs her car keys and heads out the door behind her daughter. 

///

She’s looking for a birthday present for Frannie, but her eldest daughter was hell to shop for. She had everything except a healthy marriage, and it wasn’t like Judy could buy her one of those. Maybe she could get her a self help book or something. Before she dives into that nightmare though, she decides she’s going to get an orange julius and a cinnabon, just because she deserves it. The mall was stressful after all.

The problem she encounters though, is Quinn is sitting in the food court, across from Rachel Berry, smiling widely. It’s not Rachel that’s the problem, inherently, she likes the girl and is actually good friends with her fathers, but Quinn is supposed to be at church right now, and well, she’s pretty sure this isn’t church. So, she approaches her daughter. “Quinn,” she says, making sure she doesn’t seem angry, because really, she’s not, she’s just confused. Why had Quinn felt the need to lie to her?

“Mom,” Quinn says, her eyes immediately changing from something of adoration looking at Rachel, to fear looking at her mother. 

“What are you doing here? I thought you were at church,” 

Quinn looks at her hands for a moment, then snaps her eyes back up. “We took church to the mall, thought it would be a way to interest the new members,” she says, and it doesn’t sound very convincing. 

Judy looks to Rachel, who has a large, uncomfortable grimace on her face, and then back to Quinn. “Why is Rachel here? Correct me if I’m wrong of course, but isn’t she Jewish?” Judy knows she’s Jewish. She’s just trying to see how Quinn will wiggle her way out of this. 

“She’s converting,” Quinn says way too fast. 

The appalled look on Rachel’s face is enough to make Judy have to hold back laughter. She isn’t sure at all why her daughter felt the need to lie about hanging out with her friend at the mall, but she just nods. “Right,” she says, “well I’ll see you after your meeting then. Good luck with your conversion Rachel.”

Then she walks away, getting the food and drinks she wanted, and calling Hiram’s number. “Did you know your daughter is converting?” She says, instead of hellos. 

Hiram laughs. “I didn’t, Rachel’s pretty committed to her faith you know. Where’d you hear that?”

“I just ran into her and Quinn at the mall, after Quinn told me she was going a church meeting, and apparently her excuse was that they’d moved church to the mall and that Rachel was converting,” she sighs, “I don’t know why she felt the need to lie. And why she has to do so so poorly.”

Hiram hums on the other end of the line. “Seems odd,” he says, but it seems like he might know more than he’s sharing. 

“It is odd,” Judy agrees, “you know I think she’s been lying to me a lot more lately.”

“Oh really?” Hiram says.

“Yeah you know, because she’s been going to way more church events than usual, and now I’ve caught her lying to me about them I’m even more suspicious. I just wish she’d tell me,” Judy rants.

It hurts honestly, that Quinn isn’t willing to tell her, but she just doesn’t want to push. “I’m sure whatever it is she’ll tell you when she’s ready Judy,” he states.

Judy nods, even though he can’t see her, “I thought she had a boyfriend, but now running into her with Rachel, I just wanna know why she would lie about wanting to hang out with Rachel.”

“Well…” Hiram starts, but a sudden realization pops into Judy’s head, and she just has to get it out.   
  
“Oh my gosh,” Judy says under her breath, “are Rachel and Quinn dating? Is that why she doesn’t want to tell me? Does she think I won’t support her? Doesn’t she know we’re friends?” 

Judy panics, and she can hear Hiram start to say something, but she doesn’t hear it. She can’t believe it. Her daughter was dating a girl, and was afraid to tell her. It breaks her heart, that after all that they’ve been through, Quinn wouldn’t know she would love her through something like this. Judy made a mistake not telling Russell off when he kicked Quinn out, but now that it was just her and her wonderful daughter, she wouldn’t make that mistake twice. She was going to prove to Quinn that she was accepting (of course she was, she’d met Hiram and Leroy shortly after leaving Russell and they’d quickly become her closest friends, not that that meant she wasn’t homophobic, it just had helped her become far more tolerant way quicker, and right now she was glad for that) and that she would love her no matter who she loved. In fact, Rachel Berry was kind of the ideal person for Quinn, and just the idea made her ecstatic. “I’ve got to go Hiram,” she says, bidding him adieu and hanging up.

///

Later that night, they’re eating dinner together, when Judy starts to bring up the idea. Just easing it into the conversation. “You should invite Rachel over for dinner sometime this week,” she says softly.

Quinn looks at her with wide eyes. “Why?”

Judy sighs. She wishes Quinn wasn’t so hesitant to invite her girlfriend over. If they didn’t tell her they were dating, what did they have to fear? Did Quinn think Judy hated gays so much she wouldn’t want to hang out with the daughter of some? That was completely untrue. “Well,” Judy says, using Quinn’s lie against her, “if she’s a new member of the church we should welcome her shouldn’t we? Plus it looked like you guys were friends.”

Quinn nods, looking down at her food, “Uh, yeah, we’re friends, I guess I can ask if she wants to come over.”

“Great, tell her I am so excited to have her,”

Quinn nods again, and doesn’t look up from her food.

///

Rachel comes over Friday night, apparently one of the only nights she was free. Judy had heard from Hiram and LeRoy that their daughter was incredibly busy, working to get into a prestigious theatre school in New York, and she figured that was the perfect type of person for her own daughter. Quinn, when put to the test, was one of the most driven people Judy had ever met (she was extremely proud) and it seems Rachel was that way as well. That's what she liked to hear. None of the boys Quinn had ever dated lived up to that, and if Quinn really was gay, Judy was glad she found someone who actually meshed with her personality.

It’s Judy’s first time really meeting Rachel, officially anyways, and she’s incredibly excited. She figures that she’ll be wonderful, given that Quinn likes her and that she was raised by Hiram and LeRoy, and she just couldn’t wait to see. She wishes that Quinn would tell her if Rachel was her girlfriend, so Judy could address that, joke about her intentions with Quinn, do all the things she’d done with boys in the past. But she’d do all she could with the information she has, make sure both Quinn and Rachel feel comfortable and safe in her home.

The doorbell rings, and Quinn calls, “I’ll get it!” from upstairs, jumping quickly down to open the door.

Judy can’t hear what happens at the door while she works on preparing their meal (vegan, Quinn had been adamant about it, and it felt like another point on the Rachel was definitely Quinn’s girlfriend scale) but within minutes, Quinn is being dragged into the kitchen by Rachel. Judy turns to smile at Rachel, and sure enough, she’s there, looking positively put together, smiling kindly right back at her. “Hi Mrs. Fabray,” Rachel says politely.

“Oh Rachel, call me Judy,” she says, stretching her hand out for Rachel to shake, “it’s very nice to meet you, for real this time!”

Rachel nods, smiling widely, “it is so nice to meet you… Judy,”

Judy appreciates the hesitance to use her first name, clearly Rachel was raised politely. She should applaud Hiram and LeRoy for that, they were good dads. Speaking of Rachel’s fathers, Judy looks pointedly at Quinn before turning to Rachel. “How are your dads, dear?” she asks, even though she knows the answer, she’d talked to LeRoy this morning.

She wants to prove to Quinn that she’s accepting, without outwardly saying it, not wanting Quinn to be forced into coming out if she didn’t want to. When she’d done some research online, that had been recommended. She was trying her best. Judy watches as Rachel’s eyes dart to Quinn’s, a soft encouraging smile on her face, and then she turns back to Judy. “They’re wonderful, thank you for asking, last I heard they were going on a date night to the theatre, they’re playing one of their favourite movies,” Rachel says.

“Well that sounds lovely, I hope you’re not missing out on a movie you’d enjoy as well?” Judy asks, just making conversation.

Rachel shakes her head, “No, no Rachel on date night, that’s been the rule for awhile, and I’m more than happy to be here with you and Quinn,”

“Well we are more than happy to have you as well!” Judy says, turning back to the meal she’s cooking, “I’ve made vegan stir fry!”

Rachel smiles, “Yes Quinn was telling me, I appreciate you cooking something different for me, thank you,” 

Judy looks at her almost incredulously, “Of course Rachel, you’re our guest, I’m going to accommodate for you, plus it’s always fun to learn to cook new things,” she says.

Rachel looks at her feet, and then makes eye contact with Judy again. “Thank you,” she says once more, and Judy just shakes her head. It was nothing. 

The rest of the night is lovely. Rachel is every bit as wonderful as Judy had expected, kind to a fault, polite, driven, determined, and incredibly smart. Everything she could want for Quinn. Judy thinks she might just  _ love  _ Rachel. If their relationship lasted longer, Judy could easily see herself becoming almost a mother to her. She thinks that could be good. Quinn could use a good father, Rachel had two wonderful ones, and Rachel, while she probably didn’t need a mother, could find one in her if she wanted it. Judy was probably getting ahead of herself, they were just high school girlfriends, but the way Quinn looked at Rachel really did take Judy by storm. She had a feeling this would last a while longer.

///

It all comes to a head one night when Judy comes home from a book club meeting. The meeting had ended early, the book wasn’t as interesting as the group leader thought it was going to be, and no one had much to say. She didn’t think to message Quinn, because she’d said she’d be staying in doing homework alone. She regrets that, because as she pushes open the door, the words “Quinnie, I’m home,” die on her tongue.

Rachel’s over, and all of Judy’s suspicions are confirmed. Quinn’s mouth is on Rachel’s, her hands wrapped tightly around her waist, Rachel’s tangled in blonde hair. Judy stands for a moment, shocked, and then she clues into what is happening, coughing loudly. Quinn immediately jumps away, her eyes widening as she moves as far away from Rachel as the couch will allow her to. “It’s not what it looks like,” Quinn says, looking utterly terrified.

“You’re not kissing your girlfriend?” Judy asks, looking between the two of them.

A shy smile slides onto Rachel’s face, but the blush on Quinn’s face deepens. “What?” she nearly shouts.

Judy laughs. “Quinn, I know you and Rachel are dating, and I’m fine with it,” she says, “though, I would prefer if I didn’t catch you like this again.”

Quinn’s eyes widen. “You know we’re dating? And, uh… you’re okay with it?”

“Yes Quinn, I’ve known you were dating ever since you told me Rachel was converting. You know you’re not a good liar, right?” she says, “but to answer the second part of your question, yes, I am totally and completely okay with it. Rachel is the most polite girl I’ve ever met, and you two are perfect for each other. How could I not be? Her being a girl changes nothing, I promise. I love you Quinn, and that isn’t going to change, especially over something like this.”

A smile forms on Quinn’s face as she stands, almost running across the room to hug Judy. “Thank you,” she says, wrapping her arms around her mom, “I love you too.”

“Of course Quinnie,” she says, hugging her back, “but no more lies about church okay? When you’re hanging out with Rachel tell me.”

Quinn groans, and Rachel laughs, and the whole thing is perfect. Judy’s more than glad they finally got this out of the way.

///

Later, Judy calls Hiram, and tells him to put his husband on speakerphone. “I caught them tonight, kissing,” Judy says, “they really are dating.”

There’s silence on the other end of the line, and then a short uncomfortable laugh from LeRoy. “We know Judy, they told us as soon as they started dating,” he says.

“You knew! This whole time I’ve been trying to find clues and you both knew!” she says, shocked.

“Well it wasn’t really our place, we wanted Quinn to tell you when she was ready,” Hiram answers.

“Oh… right,” Judy says, remembering what her research had said about not outing someone, “look whatever, I’m just super excited! We better start planning the wedding.”


	9. day 9: hanging out with friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so i know this is really late, but it's because i had things going on today, so apologies for that, but it's here now, and you will get your next one tomorrow (or today technically! woohoo two in one day!). this takes place in some sort of au season 3 where finn and rachel aren't together and mercedes and quinn's friendship wasn't completely forgotten and also jesse's there because i said so. i hope you like it.
> 
> I do not own glee, its characters or its plotlines, and I don't own Jump Then Fall by Taylor Swift or Stereo Hearts by Gym Class Heroes

It’s Thursday, during Glee Club, when Mercedes sees it the first time. Rachel and Quinn, surprisingly cordial and actually friendly lately, are sitting close, talking about something Mercedes hadn’t been listening to, busy listening to Sam rant about Avatar. That’s beside the point though, because the conversation doesn’t matter. What does matter, is the way Quinn is looking at Rachel. Her eyes are soft and happy, but filled with an utter adoration that Mercedes has never seen from Quinn before. Mercedes likes to think she knew Quinn well, they’d been best friends for a few years now, and she knows Quinn has never looked at one of her boyfriends with  _ that  _ much love. She raises an eyebrow, accidentally tuning out Sam as she continues to watch the encounter. It was strange, but it doesn’t last long, because Mr. Schue enters the room and Rachel jumps to her feet, garnering Mercedes’s attention. “Mr. Schue, I have a song I’d like to sing,” Rachel says, her eyes darting to Quinn’s. 

Mercedes frowns, wonders what’s happening here, watching as Quinn’s eyes immediately meet Rachel’s and the look is back. Pure adoration. Mercedes isn’t sure she believes her eyes right now, but she continues to watch. A small smile slips onto Rachel’s face as Mr. Schue sighs and lets her take the stage. “This is Jump Then Fall by Taylor Swift,” she says, looking at Quinn one more time as the music starts.

Rachel’s eyes flit around the room, but what Mercedes notes is that they never, not once, meet Finn’s and it doesn’t even seem forced. Rachel doesn’t want to look at her ex boyfriend, and her eyes keep shifting shyly to Quinn. It has her wondering what the hell was going on here. Quinn keeps her eyes on Rachel the whole song, that soft look adorning them. Something was happening here, and Mercedes was going to get to the bottom of it.

///

The next time it happens, they’re in the library. The three of them have an AP english project due, and they’re working away, but that’s not what Mercedes notices. Rachel’s explaining her idea, one hand wildly gesturing and the other, on the table, wrapped around Quinn’s. It was weird. Quinn was looking at Rachel like  _ that _ , the way that Mercedes could see was becoming common, and her thumb draws soft circles across Rachel’s hand. It was soft and adorable and made Mercedes's heart squeeze in her chest, but it also confuses her so much. This was Quinn and Rachel, miles and miles of history between the two of them, nothing positive, and yet here they were, looking almost… in love. There was no way they were into each other, was there? “That’s a great idea, Rach,” Quinn says, nodding along to whatever Rachel was saying, causing Rachel to immediately light up, a smile widening across her face, and oh wow. It seems like they might just be into each other. 

Mercedes wonders just how the fuck that might’ve happened, but she decides she’s going to make something happen.

///

After their study session, Mercedes texts Jesse and Rachel, and plans a get together at Rachel’s house that night, and then immediately calls Sam. “Hey babe,” Sam says as he picks up.

“Hey,” she says, getting into her car, “do you happen to know what’s going on with Rachel and Quinn?”

Sam hums. “You mean the huge crush Quinn has on Rachel?”

“You know?” Mercedes asks, “did she tell you?”

Mercedes knows that she and Sam are some of Quinn’s closest friends, and if she was going to tell anyone, it’d be them (or Santana, she supposes) so she holds out hope that her boyfriend has the answers. “No,” he says, “but she talks about Rachel constantly, and like not in a friend way. She’s always talking about how Rachel has the most soothing voice and how she’s the kindest person ever, and how lucky she is that Rachel likes her. It’s a lot.”

Now that she thinks about it, Sam is totally right. Quinn doesn’t shut up about Rachel, she never has. Mercedes remembers nights when they used to share a room, where Quinn would just rant for hours about how terrible Rachel was, how much she hated her. It had been a bit much, and suddenly it all makes sense. Hate and love were not opposite emotions.

“I think Rachel likes Quinn too,” Mercedes says, because she’s sure that song yesterday was for Quinn, and the hands, and the way she just lit up when Quinn praised her, it was all very  _ Rachel has a crush _ , a state that Mercedes knows all too well.

“You think so?” he asks.

“Definitely. That song was  _ for _ Quinn, and she’s been returning all the affectionate behaviour Quinn has been dishing out. If it weren’t for the fact that I know Quinn is not bold enough to just ask Rachel out, I would assume they were already dating! I mean they were holding hands today Sam, sitting in their own little world while I was right there! It was ridiculous,” she says.

“I think you might be right,” he agrees.

“I’ll find out tonight, I’m hanging out with Rachel and Jesse,” she says, “if I am right, we’ll bring it up to Quinn soon, make her ask Rachel out, because I can tell that if this lasts any longer it’s going to become barf worthy.”

“Sounds like a brilliant idea,” he says, and she smiles. She was going to figure this out, get her friends together, and then she’d have someone to double date with.

///

“So Rach,” Mercedes says, climbing into Rachel’s bed, “who was that song you sang yesterday for? It seemed pretty emotional.”

Jesse looks at Rachel, a small smirk on his face, and yep, that confirms that the song was for someone, and Mercedes knows it wasn’t Finn. Rachel blushes, looking at her hands, and there was confirmation two. She just needs to hear the words _ Quinn Fabray _ and then her plan could go off without a hitch. “Uh,” Rachel whispers, “I mean…”

“C’mon Rachel, you don’t have to be embarrassed,” Mercedes says, “unless it’s Finn again, then you have a reason to be embarrassed.”

Jesse laughs out loud, and Rachel flushes that much more. “No!” she cries out, “it’s not Finn. Never again, seriously.”

“Good,” Jesse says, and Mercedes nods, agreeing.

“But who then?” Mercedes asks, “Puck? Kurt? Blaine again?” Rachel shakes her head every time, and she knows Rachel’s bisexual so she starts listing girls, “is it Santana? Brittany? Tina?” she gasps dramatically, “is it me?”

Rachel rolls her eyes. “I love you Mercedes, but not like that.”

“Good, the feeling’s mutual,” she says, “but who is it then? Tell me it’s not Sam. If it’s Sam, I am more than willing to fight you for him, Rachel Berry.”

“It’s not Sam,” Rachel reassures, taking a deep breath, “it’s Quinn.”

Bingo! 

“Quinn,” Mercedes says, like this is news to her.

“Yep,” Jesse says, “and she’s really annoying about it,” he puts on a terrible Rachel impression, “oh… Quinn is so smart, she’s so pretty, her lips look so soft I wonder how they’d feel to kiss, I wish Quinn would date me, I like Quinn so much.”

Mercedes smiles, absolutely loving this. It was too good to be true. Rachel reaches out, slapping Jesse across the chest. “I am not like that,” she says, “I’m just hopelessly into a girl who would never like me back.”

Mercedes has to hold back the “I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” that hangs off of her tongue. Rachel was going to get the surprise of her life.

///

The next time Sam, Quinn and Mercedes are all in the same room, it’s a God Squad meeting, and Joe is there too, but they’re mostly ignoring him. “Hey guys,” he says, trying to grab their attention, “I thought we could talk about the Book of John today.”

Mercedes shakes her head. “Not right now Joe, I want to bring something up with Quinn,” she says, watching as one of Quinn’s eyebrows rises up her forehead.

“Excuse me?” she says.

Mercedes smiles. “I want to talk about your feelings for Rachel.”

Quinn’s eyes widen. “My what?” she says, her voice far too high and shaky, the telltale sign of Quinn Fabray lying, or at least misdirecting. 

“You heard me, Fabray,” she says.

Quinn gapes for a moment, her mouth opening and closing. “Are we sure this is the time and place for this, Mercedes?” Joe asks.   
  
“Joe, what did I tell you? I have other matters to deal with. Now Quinn, are you going to do anything about your absolutely massive crush on Rachel?” Mercedes asks.

Quinn looks like her world is about to topple inwards. “Am I that obvious?” she asks.

Mercedes and Sam both nod immediately, while Joe shakes his head, but really, what does he know? “You should see the way you look at her,” Mercedes says.

“And hear the way you talk about her,” Sam agrees.

“Oh god,” Quinn says, dropping her head into her hands, “do you think she knows?”

“Quinn, don’t take the lord’s name in vain,” Joe says.   
  
“Joe not now!” Mercedes and Sam state in unison.

“Sorry,” he says, looking at his hands.

“Now, to answer your question, she does not know,” Mercedes says, with a sigh of relief from Quinn, “but I think you should tell her.”

Quinn raises her head from her hands, simply to fix Mercedes with an incredulous glare. “And why would I do that? So I can get my heart broken?”

Mercedes shakes her head. “I’m not so sure that would be the outcome.”

Sam nods, agreeing, “I think you should do something too! You and Rachel would be so cute!”

Quinn shakes her head. “You guys really think I have a chance?” she asks, her voice soft and nervous.

“Yes,” they both say, because they know she has more than a chance, they know this was going to end the way Quinn wanted it to.

A small smile slides onto Quinn’s face. “Okay,” she says, still sounding a bit shaky, “what do you think I should do?”

Joe looks like he wants to interrupt again, but Sam shoots him a glare, and he closes his mouth. Mercedes is thankful for her boyfriend in that moment, because if Joe stuck his nose into this one more time, she was going to be mad.

Mercedes ponders Quinn’s question, but it doesn’t take long for something to pop into her head. It’s Rachel Berry after all, she’s not too hard to figure out. “You’ve got to serenade her,” she says.

Sam nods enthusiastically, “Yes! In front of the whole school, at lunch!”

“You’re joking right?” Quinn says, her face paling.

“No, no, he’s right, that would be the perfect gesture for Rachel,” Mercedes agrees, “she would love you to announce that you like her to everyone through song.”

Quinn groans. “That’s true,” she says, “but being turned down in front of the whole school is something I’d never live down.”

“Sometimes you have to take risks to get the things you want, Q,” Sam says.

She sighs and nods. “Yeah,” she says, nodding a few more times, like she’s trying to convince herself of this, “you’re right. And I… I want to be with her so badly, so… I have to do it.”

“Yes!” Mercedes says as Sam cheers and claps Quinn on the back.

Joe quietly raises his hand, “Can we please talk about the Book of John now?”

Sam shakes his head. “Nope, we’re not done yet, we have to pick a song,”

And then, they’re in planning mode.

///

It takes them a week to work out the arrangement, with Quinn as lead vocals and Sam on the rap part, but they decide on Stereo Hearts by Gym Class Heroes, because music, and love, and it’d be a hit in the cafeteria no matter what. 

As lunch approaches, Mercedes can see Quinn almost vibrating with nerves, but there’s a soft determination colouring her eyes that lets her know Quinn is not going to back down. She’s going to get her girl, and Mercedes was so excited to help her do it. It was going to be the most romantic gesture she’s ever been a part of. She couldn’t wait to see Rachel’s face.

The bell rings, they wait a few moments until they’re sure Rachel’s in the plaza outside, and then they make their way out. As soon as she sees her, Mercedes hurries over, saying the words she’d been practicing. “Are you Miss Rachel Berry?”

Rachel looks at her oddly, “Um, yeah?”

“Well, we have a message here for you, from one Quinn Fabray,” Mercedes says, shuffling Quinn in front of her.

“Hi Rach,” she whispers, “this is for you.” 

Then Joe, who was only a part of this due to coercion (they’d told him it was official God Squad business) presses play on the boombox. The music plays, and Quinn begins to sing, and the smile that forms on Rachel’s face is utterly radiant. Mercedes doesn’t think she’s ever seen her so happy, in the four years they’d known each other. Part way through the song, Quinn offers Rachel her hand, and Rachel takes it, without any hesitation, and Quinn just doesn’t let go, the whole time.

It’s a confirmation Mercedes knows she needs, proof that Rachel was enjoying it, that she wanted this too, before she even said anything. And Rachel was definitely proving it, if that smile and the tight grip she has on Quinn’s hand means anything.

They finish the song, and Quinn looks at Rachel, the shiest smile on her face, “So yeah,” she says, “uh, I have feeli—”

Rachel doesn’t let her finish, just dives in for a kiss, connecting their lips and trying to control her smile so it’s easier for the kiss to occur. Mercedes and Sam look at each other, smiles on their faces, a whoop leaving Sam’s throat as he wraps his arm around Mercedes’s shoulder. Eventually Quinn pulls away from the kiss, hesitant to obviously, but Mercedes could tell she didn’t want to give the whole school anymore of a show. “So you liked it?”  Quinn says, a goofy smile on her face.

“I  _ loved _ it,” Rachel corrects, pulling Quinn closer by the waist. 

“Does that mean I can ask you out on a date?” Quinn asks.

Rachel nods, “You definitely can,” she says, leaning in for another kiss.

Quinn, despite pulling away moments earlier, doesn’t stop her. It makes Mercedes almost squeal in joy. They both deserved this, so much, and she couldn’t deny, she was proud of herself for orchestrating the whole thing. 


	10. day 10: jealousy/possessiveness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hellooooooo, late again, what's new!!! i have come to the conclusion that i write everyday, so what time it is really does not matter. y'all get to enjoy it no matter what right! hope this is to your liking it's pretty sappy!
> 
> I do not own glee nor do i own its characters or plotlines!

Rachel knows she’s being stupid. She knows it. She’s more than aware, but she can’t quite help it. She’s jealous because they’re out with their friends, getting drinks and having a good time, as they often do, and every time Rachel so much as looks away from Quinn, another person is flirting with her. She goes to the bathroom and a pretty blonde is sidling up to her girlfriend, she goes to the bar to get a drink and some dude is making eyes at her. She dances with Jesse for literally less than a minute, and a brunette strides up to Quinn, a confident look in her eyes. At one point, Rachel is sitting right there, talking to Santana, and some girl, an absolutely gorgeous girl, smiles at Quinn smugly. “Hey,” she says, “I’m Sophia.”

Quinn smiles at her, just friendly, but Rachel still doesn’t like it. She’s tired of this. It drives her  _ mad _ that every person in the bar can’t keep their eyes off her girlfriend. “Quinn,” she says, barely making eye contact with Sophia.

“Pretty name for a pretty girl,” Sophia says, smiling like it’s some genius line, “can I get you a drink?” 

Quinn shakes her head. “Nope, this is my girlfriend,” she says, tucking her arm around Rachel, and it makes her feel a little better, but not a lot.

Sophia nods, looking a little put out, but she walks off, not to bother Quinn again.

Rachel is not that lucky though, because even with her arm around her, Quinn gets hit on six more times before the night is through, and holy god, how can so many people continue to try their hand? Did they miss every other person she turned down? It drives Rachel insane, and by the end of the night, she’s pouty, angry, walking home with her arms crossed and her head down.

She knows Quinn can tell something’s up, but she doesn’t say anything, just stomping home, upset that what should’ve been a good night with her friends and her girlfriend was ruined by the fact that Quinn is apparently irresistible. Rachel knew that already, she didn’t need ten other people to confirm it. They climb the steps to her apartment and Rachel resists the urge to slam the door behind herself. 

She knows once again she’s being stupid, she knows Quinn shot down every single one of those people for her, she knows she gets Quinn at the end of the night, but she just can’t help it. Jealousy was in her nature, it boils under her skin at the simplest of things, it always had, it always will, as much as she tries to tame it, temper its angry coils. She knows it’s because of insecurities she’s never grown out of, she knows it’s because as much as she talks a big game, she never really feels worthy of the love she receives. Be it because she was too selfish, too ambitious, too annoying, not pretty enough, whatever it was. All those things rear their ugly heads when Quinn gets hit on, because god, her girlfriend is the prettiest girl in the world, and given all the options she has, why would she stay with Rachel? She just doesn’t understand how she’d want to, when all the world wanted to have her. “Rachel,” Quinn says, reaching out for her, “what’s wrong?”

Rachel sighs, crossing her arms tighter across her chest, not shying away from Quinn’s touch but not leaning into it either. “Nothing,” she says, because really, she doesn’t want to get into it. She’s being ridiculous, she knows it, no need to burden Quinn with her stupid insecurities. Only one more thing that could push Quinn further away.

“Nope,” Quinn insists, settling on the couch and pulling Rachel with her, “something’s up baby, I’m not blind, and I know you like to talk about your feelings.”

Rachel sits quietly, trying to ignore the completely calming feeling of Quinn’s fingers drawing soothing circles on her arms. She didn’t want to say anything, she didn’t want to speak up. She hates how stupid she’s being, she watched Quinn turn down every girl (and guy but she didn’t really feel threatened in that case) that night for her. She knows nothing about this is rational, but she can’t help but feel it. Tears water in her eyes and it only serves to make her feel that much dumber. “C’mon Rach,” Quinn says, shuffling closer, pulling Rachel into her arms, “I love you. You can tell me, I’m not going to judge you.”

Taking in a deep breath, Rachel meets Quinn’s eyes. They’re full of so much love, pure adoration in a way that makes it hard to breathe. Rachel can feel a tear spill down her cheek, and she takes a moment to try and collect herself. “It’s uh, just hard,” she says, “seeing all those people hit on you.” 

Nothing is said for a moment, and it freaks Rachel out. So, she does what she does best, and she talks. “I know it’s stupid,” she says, trying to catch her shaky breath, “I know it’s so stupid, because I watched you turn down every single person, you told every one that you were mine, but I just… it hurts. It scares me and I don’t know what to do, because I  _ know _ it’s not your fault, but I can’t help it. It makes me feel like  _ shit _ .”

Quinn shakes her head. “No, Rachel that’s not stupid. Your feelings are never stupid, they always matter to me, but this is especially not stupid,” she says, “I understand how that could be tough, you know how possessive I can get. When people hit on you, I see red. I can only imagine how it would feel to see it numerous times in a row. I know I wouldn’t deal with it as well as you have.”

Pressing a kiss to Rachel’s shoulder, she continues, “But, Rachel honey, you have absolutely nothing to worry about, because I love you, and that will never, never change, no matter who hits on me. A million people could hit on me and I’d reject every single one of them, because I already have you.”

Rachel’s heart flips in her chest, but her anxiety is just not yet settled. She still remembers how it felt to sit beside Quinn, her heart thrumming fast in her chest as someone’s flirting, just waiting for the moment a girl will be prettier than her, funnier than her, whatever it could be. “Yeah but you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen, and you have all these options, it’s only a matter of time before you find something better than me,” she says, the pit in her stomach deepening, plummeting, threatening to swallow her heart whole.

Quinn looks at her for a moment, and Rachel can’t quite read her. It looks a bit like shock, a bit like confusion. It looks a lot like love too, but she’s just not sure. She’s just a little fragile, a little too scared to know exactly how Quinn feels. “Rachel…” she says, her hand raising to cradle Rachel’s cheek, “Rachel baby, there is literally no one else. I haven’t looked at another woman in years. It has always been you, and it will always be you. When other girls flirt with me, I just wish they were you. There’s no one better for me than you, and I know that. I love you Rachel, you are the most gorgeous, wonderful, beautiful person I’ve ever had the pure pleasure of knowing, and I’m so sorry I haven’t expressed it enough. I’m so sorry you feel insecure in your place in my life, because you are simply everything to me. I’ll tell you that as much as I need to, for as long as you need.” 

Rachel can’t help but let out a little whimper, tears falling down her cheek, because wow, if that wasn’t the most reassuring, wonderful, perfect, loving thing anyone had ever said to her. She can’t believe that Quinn had those words for  _ her _ . How could she deserve this? Quinn wipes her tears, pressing a few soft kisses on her cheeks, her forehead, and finally her lips. “I love you. I am so so lucky to have you and you are it for me okay?” she says, “I promise this is not something that could just go away. I’m gonna make you my wife someday.”

Rachel kisses her again, her fears at least temporarily sated. How could they not be, with words like that, with a promise that Quinn wanted to marry her? Quinn Fabray wanted Rachel to be her wife someday, and the fact that she was that lucky actually blew her mind. She decides now, with tear tracks on her face, to lighten the mood. “Do I get any choice in the matter?” she whispers.

Quinn smiles, laughing. “No,” she says, “I’ve already made up my mind, Rachel Fabray-Berry, that’s gonna be your new name, spelled out in lights.”

Rachel wrinkles her nose. “Rachel Fabray,” she says, and it sounds so  _ right. _

Quinn seems to think the same, because her eyes widen, and a little gasp falls from her lips. “Yep, yep, that,” she says, pressing her lips to Rachel’s, “that sounds perfect.”

Rachel agrees, it sounds like the best thing in the world, and she can’t deny, a shiny little ring on Quinn’s finger would definitely be the best way to ward off suitors. 


	11. day 11: performance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay this is really late again but it's really long (for this collection) and i'm really proud of it, so i think you'll enjoy it. I present you with nine times quinn hears rachel sing. enjoy.
> 
> I don't own Glee, its characters and plotlines, or any of the songs mentioned.

Quinn Fabray saw Rachel Berry as a nuisance. She was tiny and loud and she always dragged Quinn’s eye right to her. It annoyed her. She didn’t want to look at Rachel and her stupid outfits and her stupid face. Which was why she had tried to bully Rachel right off Myspace. She didn’t want to see her stupid videos anymore. She didn’t like to see her face, she didn’t like the way her voice made her feel. Like her whole stomach flipped. She chalks that up to revulsion. Berry was gross, and having to spend so much time watching videos of her made her feel like she was going to lose her lunch. That’s all it was. That’s why she watched them constantly, to leave hateful comments, to kill Rachel’s spirit so she never has to see her perform again. That plan totally made sense. 

Quinn’s writing an essay for her history class when a notification from her email pops up. It’s Rachel, posting some video titled On My Own, and she resists the urge to roll her eyes. She clicks the link, the video loading and playing right away. She watches, the only view thus far, seemingly unable to take her eyes off Rachel. Quinn hates her, angry comments a flurry in her head as she takes in Rachel’s song. When it finishes, she presses play again. She has to have insults prepared for when she watches this with the cheerios tomorrow, the comments they’d leave would be scalding, and she wanted to make sure she had the best content. She wanted to be the one to do the damage.

///

Quinn had never wanted to be in Glee. It just hadn’t been in the cards, she didn’t want to be the nerd that everyone made fun of. She didn’t want to be  _ Rachel. _ But now, with things the way they were, with her being pregnant, no longer a cheerio, with Rachel telling Finn, nothing was stable. Nothing was right. She didn’t even have a home right now. She hates to admit it, but Glee was all she had.

So now, standing in the hallways outside the theatre, Quinn has a desire for the Glee club to do well. Once a saboteur, now she was an active participant, if somewhat reluctant.

Rachel enters the theatre first, her solo preceding their group number, and Quinn hates herself for it, but she can’t deny Rachel is the way to win. She despises praising Rachel, she still can’t believe they even can stand to be in the same room together, she can’t believe she didn’t knock Rachel’s lights out given the chance, but she couldn’t deny Rachel had one of the most powerful voices she’d ever heard. That was never what she made fun of. Rachel could sing, it just so happened that voice had come out of someone Quinn had considered a loser.

Now, listening to Rachel sing Don’t Rain On My Parade, Quinn has to admit that it seemed like Rachel might just be the only one of them capable of winning. 

///

Nothing presses Quinn’s buttons like a romantic ballad from Rachel to Finn. Especially after what had happened. It’s not like she’d been eavesdropping, no, she had been too focused on Rachel to do that, her eyes drawn right towards her. But gossip had flitted around the school as it often did. Finn didn’t like the outfit Rachel had been wearing, didn’t like the attention she had drawn to her. Quinn knows she’d been part of the attention, not the one Finn had specifically talked about, but she saw Rachel walk in, and suddenly her eyes were locked on, and she had to spend the rest of the day trying to pry them off, forcibly. But Finn had made Rachel change, and here she was singing a love song to him, as some sort of way to apologize. For what, Quinn wasn’t sure. All she knows is that if Rachel was her girlfr—

She stopped that thinking immediately, didn’t even know where it came from. The reason she was mad about this number more than anything, was because she wanted Finn, and that was it. It had nothing to do with Rachel, and everything to do with the way Quinn’s ex boyfriend, her first love, stared at Rachel. That feeling that twists in her stomach, simply jealousy because Finn no longer looked at her like that. The tears filling in her eyes weren't related to Rachel at all, except for the fact that she chose to sing to Finn. 

Quinn repeats that mantra in her head as Rachel sings, and she pretends with everything in her that it’s true. 

///

Quinn has no idea what Rachel’s song is. She’d sung it for Finn, she’d sung it for Schue, but the rest of the Glee club had been left in the dark. As soon as she starts singing though, Quinn knows she was inspired by their argument, by Quinn’s words, and it breaks her heart. She doesn’t want Rachel to feel this way. She knows the reasons why she did what she did, she’s done pretending she doesn’t care about Rachel, she’s done pretending she doesn’t feel something every time she hears her sing, but what she feels now is pain.

Quinn knows she did the right thing. She knows she has to stay with Finn, she knows she has to keep him from ruining the precious future she knows Rachel is bound to have, but she hates the way it makes her feel. She wants Rachel to have it all, and through that, she knows she can’t have what she wants. Rachel turns back, looking at Finn, and Quinn watches the way they look at each other, the pain nearly suffocating. She wishes Rachel would look at her like that, she wishes Rachel could  _ get it right _ with her, but she knows it’s not realistic. She knows what the future holds, and so she does what she can to nudge them onto the right path. Rachel deserves the best she can get, and Quinn will do anything to give it to her.

///

Rachel breaks her nose. It’s terrifying to watch, as she spills blood all over the floor, scared and distressed. Quinn’s heart breaks right along with her nose. It reminds her of Rachel, small and nervous, telling her she can punch her, but try to avoid her nose, and it scares her. Quinn loves Rachel’s nose, it’s not something she’d have admitted to herself even a few months prior, but it’s beautiful and it perfects Rachel’s gorgeous face. 

When she announces she’s going to have her nose fixed, she tries to frame it as something she’s not doing for cosmetic reasons, and Quinn knows that’s not the case. She knows Rachel is insecure, she knows that’s partly her doing, and she hates herself for it, but she doesn’t say anything like the others do, because how would that be fair? It would be hypocritical of her, given the fact she changed everything about herself to fit beauty standards, to fit what her parents wanted for her. Quinn cannot judge Rachel, can’t tell her not to like Finn does, because Quinn knows what it feels like to hate yourself. She knows what it feels like to feel unappealing and ugly and even though Rachel is none of those things, god, none at all, she’s truly one of the most beautiful people Quinn has ever seen, who is she to judge her for wanting to better herself? Maybe it’s not the best way to go about it, but Quinn just wants Rachel to feel good, that’s all she ever wants, so even though it feels like a terribly bad idea, she tells Rachel she will be the model for her new nose.

They take composites, and Rachel’s face looks bare, strange in a way Quinn doesn’t know how to express. It feels  _ wrong _ and Quinn knows what feels right. She’s spent an awful lot of time looking at Rachel’s face, and it has never made her feel this sick, even when she spent all that time pretending Rachel disgusted her. But Quinn’s not a hypocrite, she’s never been one, so she stands by Rachel’s side, she even agrees to a duet.

They work together for a week on it, arranging the songs together, learning the words and the notes and making sure it’s perfect. It’s the most time the two of them have ever spent together, and it’s the best week of Quinn’s life, but the looming reality of what was going to happen at the end of all of this hangs on her like a weight, and she just wants to get it over with.

The song turns out incredible. Quinn can’t believe how well their voices meld together, they sound nearly perfect together. It’s a laughable contrast to how horribly their faces looked combined. 

Quinn can’t take her eyes off Rachel as they sing. Her nose is bruised and taped, but Quinn worries it’ll be one of the last times she sees Rachel’s face the way it is. She’s not ready to let go, even if Rachel doesn’t know she’s still hanging on.

Quinn feels nothing but relief when Rachel doesn’t go through with it, but it’s followed by pain when she realizes just who convinced Rachel not to. She knows something’s going to happen between Finn and Rachel, but she prays it doesn’t.

///

Quinn’s prayers are not answered, as seems to be the case most of the time. Finn leaves her, that in itself is not all that upsetting, she doesn’t feel anything for him, but her words cut deep, and it hurts when he gets back with Rachel, for all the reasons Quinn had tried to swallow, unsuccessfully. 

Rachel and Finn get engaged, Quinn does everything she can to stop it. She’s more direct this time, she doesn’t try to date Finn or anything, it hadn’t worked the first time anyways. She speaks to Rachel as a friend, and mourns the loss of everything she’d worked for when Rachel says yes.

Regionals come, and Finn and Rachel plan to get married. Quinn still thinks it’s a bad idea. She thinks it’s the worst idea, even without counting her own feelings in it. She’s not going to go, she doesn’t want to support the decision she thinks will ruin Rachel’s life, but Rachel’s singing voice has a power over her, one that makes her rethink everything. 

Rachel sings Here’s To Us, Quinn’s heart beats, fast, in her chest. She watches as the crowd loses it, and she feels the energy surging through her. It’s the way she feels every time Rachel performs, like something is turning inside her, changing, growing, and she knows that everybody else feels it too, even if for her, she knows it’s on another level, because god, her feelings for Rachel exist on a scale she can barely describe.

For a moment, Quinn can pretend the words are sung to her. It’s a fantasy she hates herself for living in, but it’s one she lives in nonetheless, and it feels right in a way she can’t really begin to understand. Her eyes follow Rachel as she sings, dancing across the stage, and the moment is ruined when Finn climbs out onto the balcony. Rachel’s eyes meet his immediately, and she lights up, in a way Quinn knows she’d never look at her, no matter how much she wishes she would. Rachel sings the rest of the song, her eyes meeting Finn’s whenever she can, and the illusion is completely shattered.

It’s then that Quinn lets the walls drop. She’s not going to try and stop Rachel any longer, not when she looks at Finn like that, not when clearly the world doesn’t turn for her when he’s not there. She wants Rachel to be happy, that’s all that matters to her.

///

Rachel turns out happy after high school, and it’s not with Finn, and that’s the happiest outcome Quinn could imagine. She and Rachel do stay in touch, which is how Quinn finds herself in a New York karaoke bar, brandishing a fake ID and a drink. They’re there with all their friends, Mercedes, Sam, Jesse, Santana and Brittany, and Quinn can’t deny it’s been a great night. She doesn’t get to see Rachel as much as she’d like to, so these nights are so cherished. 

Quinn’s crush on Rachel grows every time they hang out, but it’s so worth it, because Rachel makes her feel incredible. They’re practically best friends now and Quinn has never felt better. She’s  _ so  _ happy about it, and she can’t imagine being much happier, unless somehow, magically, Rachel liked her back. That didn’t seem likely though, by all accounts Rachel was straight, so she didn’t hold out for it, she counts her lucky stars she has what she has at all.

Santana and Brittany finish a duet of Valerie that they do every time they’re out, and then Sam whispers in Rachel’s ear, and she nods happily, clearly more than a little drunk and drags him up to the mic. She tells the guy their song, and he queues it up, as her two best friends stand at the mics, giggling to themselves. Can You Feel The Love Tonight begins, and Quinn just smiles.

It’s the version from The Lion King, broken up into a duet, and they’re probably the perfect people to sing it. They’re both drunk, but their pitch is on point, and they don’t stumble over a single word. Rachel’s voice is beautiful as always, making Quinn’s heart squeeze in her chest, sending butterflies swarming into her stomach.

They launch into the chorus, and god, the words are too on, because all Quinn can feel in that moment is love. She watches Rachel sing, smiling at Sam, and she knows she must look absolutely mesmerized. It’s exactly how she feels, caught up entirely in the adoration she has for Rachel.

The song finishes, and Rachel comes back to their seats, and something in Quinn’s tipsy mind clicks. She needs to say something and now. She grabs Rachel’s hand, pulling her away from the group and outside the club. She knows it’s probably not the safest place to have this conversation but she just needs to get the words out, and it’s far too loud in the bar. When they stop, Rachel looks at her, one eyebrow raised. “What’s going on?” she says.

Quinn doesn’t even stop to think, she just blurts out, “I can feel the love tonight,”

And immediately she curses herself, because it’s the dumbest line she’s ever said, but Rachel’s eyebrow drops. “What?” she asks, her drunk mind muddled, clearly trying to figure out what the hell Quinn is trying to say. 

“I’m in love with you,” she says, “like so in love, and I saw you singing that song, so adorably and still insanely good even drunk, and I just couldn’t keep it in anymore. I love you.”

Rachel’s eyes widen, looking at her like she can’t believe she just said that. Quinn almost can’t believe she said them either. “Are you serious?” Rachel says.

Quinn just nods, playing with her hands, because that’s not really the ideal reaction from the girl you love. But her moment of nervousness doesn’t last, because Rachel tilts her head up and kisses her. It’s the best kiss she’s ever experienced, without a doubt, even if Rachel’s lips taste strongly of liquor. It doesn’t even matter, because she can’t believe it’s happening, and it’s everything she’s ever wanted and more. Rachel pulls away, caressing Quinn’s cheek with her small, soft hands. “I love you too Quinn, so much,” she says, leaning right back in.

Never did Quinn expect that, and yet, it’s easily the best moment of her life.

///

Every moment onwards from that one has the potential to be the best moment of her life, because she’s with Rachel. Quinn knew that being with Rachel would be incredible, but she never really expected it would be this wonderful. Of course they have their moments, every couple does, but she falls more and more in love with her girlfriend everyday.

Recently, they’ve gotten an apartment together, and it’s only increased the feeling. She loves waking up next to Rachel, she loves going to sleep next to her, but what she loves more than anything, is the way Rachel sings, almost all the time. Some people might find that quality annoying, but to Quinn, it’s one of the greatest gifts. Her girlfriend’s voice has always been something that she’s been obsessed with, even when she tried to hide her feelings, and hearing it all the time is truly a magical experience.

The only problem of course, is that she can’t focus when Rachel’s singing. She could be doing anything, reading, cooking, writing, doing her taxes, and she wouldn’t be able to keep her attention on the task, because Rachel’s voice is like a beacon for her, she just can’t ignore it. That was the case in the moment now, as Quinn tries to write an email to her boss. 

Rachel’s in the kitchen, a few feet away, baking her signature banana bread, and her ipod is turned onto the Funny Girl album, so of course, there hasn’t been a moment of silence from her girlfriend in over an hour. Which is usually fine, but it’s amounted to four words on her email by the time Don’t Rain On My Parade starts.

That song wrecks her concentration completely. She doesn’t even try to work, just closes her laptop and turns to watch Rachel as she sings. 

It’s just as powerful as the first time Quinn heard Rachel sing this song, even though she’s puttering about their kitchen as she sings it. Quinn rests her head on her hands, taking in the performance, smiling wider and wider every moment. Seriously, no one could rain on her parade right now, because she’s watching the girl she knows she’s going to marry dance around the kitchen singing her favourite song, sounding like  _ that. _

As the song closes, Rachel turns and notices Quinn watching her. She smiles, sauntering over, singing, “My heart’s a drummer, nobody, no nobody,” then she reaches Quinn, leaning right into the arms Quinn wraps around her waist as she sings that devastatingly perfect, practiced closing line, “is gonna rain on my parade!”

Quinn smiles at her, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. “Enjoying the show baby?” Rachel says, as she holds Quinn’s face in her hands, pressing another few kisses to her lips.

“Absolutely,” Quinn says, no truer words ever spoken.

She can get that email done later, right now her star deserves her attention.

///

Quinn can’t believe she’s married to Rachel Berry. If someone had told sixteen year old Quinn, seventeen year old Quinn, even eighteen year old Quinn that she would one day be dancing at her wedding with her wife, Rachel Fabray, they would’ve never believed you, for varying reasons, but here Quinn is now, and she couldn’t be happier.

Seven hours after their wedding, they’re both pleasantly tipsy, tired, and absolutely drunk on the love and adrenaline of a perfect day. The reception is winding to a close, Rachel and Quinn are a couple of very few still left on the dance floor, but they’re having too much fun to quit right then. They’re dancing to Your Song, and as it comes to an end, Rachel’s eyes widen. “I’ve got something for you,” she says, scrambling away from Quinn.

Quinn mourns the closeness of her wife, but watches as Rachel climbs up the stage where various performances had occurred throughout the night, and grabs the mic. She smiles widely, reminding Quinn of that night they’d gotten together at karaoke. It’s the perfect image. “This is for my wife, Quinn,” she says, like the people at their wedding didn’t know who her wife was, but being referred to like that makes Quinn’s heart soar, so she doesn’t even care.

It Only Takes A Moment from Hello, Dolly! starts playing from the speaker, and tears take residence in Quinn’s eyes almost immediately. Rachel starts singing, and it is truly everything, to see her wife sing this song for her. Quinn’s seen Hello, Dolly! a million times in the time she’s known Rachel, and this has always been her favourite song, Rachel knows that much. “It only, takes a moment…to be loved, a whole life long,” Rachel sings as a tear slips down Quinn’s cheek.

Rachel does all the spoken parts too, and it makes her giggle, the way her wife (god, her wife!) knows all the words, even at this level of intoxication, with no hesitation. It’s beautiful, adorable, and so perfect. 

She sings the rest, the words all about love and a whole life long, and Quinn has loved every performance of Rachel’s she’s ever seen, but this, this is her favourite without a doubt. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so the songs in order are (I know most of these are performed on glee but still): 
> 
> On My Own, From Les Miserables  
> Don't Rain On My Parade, From Funny Girl  
> The Only Exception, Paramore  
> Get It Right, Miss Rachel Berry  
> I Feel Pretty/Unpretty, Mashup of West Side Story and TLC  
> Here's To Us, Halestorm  
> Can You Feel The Love Tonight, From The Lion King (1994)  
> Don't Rain On My Parade (again!)  
> It Only Takes A Moment, From Hello, Dolly! (the barbra streisand movie version obviously, because this is Rachel Berry and everything is Barbra)
> 
> and I don't own any of those songs !!!!
> 
> comments and kudos much appreciated, see you later


	12. day 12: making out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well hello my friendly folks i am back again with a late night addition to this here story collection. as you can see, today's fic is making out, and so i grant you three times Quinn Fabray made out with someone, with a twist! The lovely inimitabler wrote three times Rachel Berry made out with someone, and then our last Time is the same scene, written in different perspectives, so be sure to check out theirs as well.
> 
> As always, I do not own Glee, its plotlines, or any of its characters.

Every girl wanted Finn, that was something that was established throughout pretty much all of William McKinley High School, and Quinn knows she should be excited that she has him, but she’s really not. All the girls are jealous of her, and she has the status she desperately craves, but nothing about Finn makes her as happy as she knows it should. 

The first time it happens is two months into their relationship, she didn’t let him do much more than quick pecks on the lips before that, but she could tell he was getting antsy, and as much as she didn’t enjoy dating him, his presence in her life was important, so she let him get a little further. Nothing obscene of course, she was a good girl, in the celibacy club, but enough to satisfy some of his weird teenage boy hormones. 

Her parents are out when they come home from a date at Breadstix, she drove because he doesn’t have his license yet, and they settle on the couch. She doesn’t take him to her room, because she doesn’t want him to get the wrong idea, and also because she hopes the framed portrait of Jesus on the wall deters him from getting too invested in the kissing. That was definitely not something she wanted. They lay back, and his lips meet hers, and it’s… awful. Just like every kiss with Finn had been, but worse, because this time, he has an agenda, he wants to  _ make out  _ with her. He deepens the kiss almost right away, and the action has Quinn begging to pull away, but he seems to be enjoying it, for lord only knows what reason. They kiss for what feels like forever, and Quinn hates every second. His lips are dry, cracked under hers and the large amount of tongue he uses disgusts her. She can tell he has little practice, even with the almost no experience  _ she  _ has. Every moment she feels that much more uncomfortable, but she reaches her peak when his hands slide down past their comfortably appropriate space on her waist. No. She just couldn’t let that happen. Quinn grabs his hands, sliding them up and off of her body as she pulls away.

Finn doesn’t open his eyes for a moment, looking totally into it, the complete opposite of her feelings. As he opens them, a dopey confused look crosses his face, and she realizes she needs an excuse for why she stopped, what to him was probably a perfectly good make out session. Quinn looks up, and there on the wall is the Jesus portrait. She sends up a quiet, thankful prayer, because he helps her in this moment, when she needs him most. She sits back, moving away from Finn. “Let’s pray,” she says, closing her eyes, ignoring the groan of annoyance Finn lets out.

She’s just extremely thankful she thought of something, because she doesn’t think she can do that any longer.

///

Quinn loves Sam. She really does. He’s the best guy she’s ever known, the greatest guy she’s ever had the pleasure of being with, and every date is a fun time. The problem comes though, with the romantic aspect. 

They go out, they talk and have fun, he makes her giggle with his silly impressions and makes references to things that no one else would talk about, and she loves it. But then, she drives them home, and they go in together and everything changes.

Quinn is hopeful the first time they reach that point, after their fourth date (she put it off as long as possible, because god, those make out sessions with Finn haunt her), that she’ll actually enjoy it. She prays to God, hoping he’ll listen and help her out, like he did in that moment with Finn. 

She thinks Sam will be better, the few kisses they’ve shared are better already, because he has soft, pillowy lips, that taste of fruity chapstick, and she really likes that, for some reason. 

But, as soon as they’re on the couch, Quinn lying on top of him, their lips inches apart, she can tell she’s not going to like it. He’s too firm beneath her, her hands can’t seem to find purchase anywhere, his hips and shoulders too boxy. She doesn’t know what would feel right, but she knows it’s not this. She ignores it though, pressing her lips to his, desperately hoping she can let go of the awkwardness she feels. Sam leans into her, his hands finding their place at her waist, staying there respectfully, nothing like Finn’s wandering hands. She appreciates it, finally letting her hands settle into soft blonde hair. It’s long enough for her fingers to run through it, and she can tell Sam takes good care of it even with the colour treatment. It’s better than Finn, for sure, but she still can’t seem to just enjoy it. She feels on edge, like it’s just wrong, and she can’t find the reasoning why. 

Maybe it’s that she’s not used to it.

Maybe she’ll grow to like it.

She prays to God she will.

///

Quinn never does grow to like making out with boys, and she comes to terms with that after a while, especially after she starts making out with girls, in particular, one Rachel Berry. They’ve been dating for some time now, and while the long distance sucks, being with her has truly been one of the best experiences of her life. 

Quinn misses her like crazy. That’s just not something she can deny, and it’s on her mind when she’s doing her homework on a Friday afternoon. She’s having trouble focussing, waiting for Rachel to reply to her texts, because even if her girlfriend’s not here, her words comfort Quinn. 

She tries to turn her attention to her geology homework, but then, there’s a knock at the door. Her roommate Olivia is sitting at her desk as well, and Quinn turns to her, “You expecting anyone?” she asks.

Olivia shakes her head, so Quinn stands, walking the few feet to the door and pulls it open. There, standing in front of Quinn, is a face she’s missed so dearly, one who she certainly wasn’t expecting. Rachel Berry, a face splitting grin taking residence. Quinn can’t help but return it. “Hi baby,” Rachel says, but Quinn doesn’t let her say anything else, just pressing her lips to Rachel’s, a better greeting than anything she could say with words.

They kiss like that standing in Quinn’s door frame for a moment, just enjoying each other, before Olivia lets out a very deliberate cough, and they jump apart. “I’m gonna go to the library, or something,” she says, and they shuffle out of the way so she can leave.

As the door slams shut behind Olivia, Quinn turns her attention back to Rachel, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist. “I missed you,” she says, pressing her lips to Rachel’s once more, revelling in how much she loves the feeling.

Rachel’s smile somehow manages to widen. “I missed you too, that’s why I surprised you.”

“And thank god you did,” Quinn says, “my geology homework was getting mind numbingly boring.”

Rachel giggles. “I hope that’s not the only reason you’re glad I’m here.”

The question doesn’t warrant an answer, Rachel knows there’s a million reasons Quinn’s glad she’s here, namely that she loves her and she misses her and she wants her around all the time. She thinks a kiss is the best way to express that, so she doesn’t hesitate, resuming what they’d started in the entrance. Rachel hums pleasantly into the kiss, and the sound drives Quinn a little insane, she’d just missed this so much.

She walks them back until Rachel hits the bed, pushing lightly so she falls on her back, following as she does, so their lips don’t part. They kiss like that, Quinn’s hands placed happily on Rachel’s hips and Rachel’s tangling in the back of Quinn’s hair. Rachel’s small and warm under her, and Quinn’s done this a few hundred times now, but the feeling of rightness as she sets her hands on soft curves never fails to amaze her. Rachel is a woman, and that is part of the reason this blows her mind every time, obviously. 

Rachel is the most incredible kisser Quinn has ever experienced as well, so that makes a stunning difference compared to past experiences. Her girlfriend just has a way about her, with soft talented lips that taste fruity (that had always been her favourite part of kissing Sam after all, and now it made a lot more sense), and well, she simply knows how to use her tongue.

Most importantly though, Quinn loves Rachel. She’s never loved anyone the way she loves Rachel, and she thinks that is definitely the defining factor in what makes these make out sessions this fucking great. 

Rachel’s hands fall from Quinn’s hair, hands roaming her body, and Quinn doesn’t drag those hands away, she wouldn’t dream of it. Their lips don’t part, and Quinn thinks she would be fine if they never did. She remembers Finn, how she’d have done anything for it to be over, she thinks of Sam, and how she’d prayed she’d grow to like it. None of that ever crossed her mind with Rachel. With Rachel, she’d known right away, she’d always want more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> remember to check out inimitabler's half of this bad boy, and read all their other ones if you haven't yet!!!


	13. day 13: eating ice cream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey there folks, i'm back again with another fic. i'm going to be honest with you, this has barely any ice cream in it, but the ice cream is the inciting force, so i'm gonna call it a win. lots of feelings in this one. hope it is to your liking.
> 
> I do not own glee, any of its characters or plotlines, or the movie Mamma Mia!

Most days, Quinn barely thinks about it. She’s just too happy to worry about past mistakes when she works to right them everyday. Other days though, she drags herself through the mud. She doesn’t let herself breathe for the things she’d done wrong in high school, in particular, the words she’d said to Rachel. On these days, she hates herself more than she can say.

On these days, she does the best she can to make everything better. She wishes with everything in her that she could take it back, but she knows that she can’t, she’d said that once after all, that you can’t change your past, but you can let go and change your future. With this though, she finds it harder to let go, so when she can’t seem to stop thinking about her mistakes, she tries with everything in her to change the future. She holds Rachel a little tighter, kisses her a little deeper, loves her that much more.

Today is one of those days, a hazy cloud over Quinn’s subconscious, guilt settling over her anytime she so much as looks at her girlfriend. She does her best to shower her in affection, trying to make sure Rachel knows just how much she wants her, just how much she needs her. It’s why she doesn’t even hesitate to get up and go to the kitchen when Rachel nicely asks for some ice cream.

Quinn doesn’t like vegan ice cream, it’s one substitute she just can’t seem to get acquired too, but it doesn’t matter, not really. She loves Rachel way more than she loves ice cream, so she’s willing to sacrifice it. Just one of those things that is a happy compromise, that doesn’t even cross her mind on days where she feels like this. She’s so lucky to have Rachel, she feels so grateful she even gets the chance to sacrifice ice cream. She knows it’s not really a good mindset, but most days she’s not like this. 

She brings the ice cream to Rachel, who accepts it, her smile widening as she spoons the first bite into her mouth. “Mhm,” she says, “perfect. Thank you baby, you’re the best.” 

The words sink deep into Quinn, like a lead weight burying itself in her stomach. They don’t cause the usual reaction. She just feels her mood worsen, and she doesn’t know why she thinks now is the time, when they’re just sitting together, watching Mamma Mia, she doesn’t know why on this bad day she speaks, but she does. She just lets the words fall off her tongue. “I wasn’t always though.”

Rachel looks at her, her eyebrows drawn together. She hadn’t even unpaused the movie yet. “What?” she says, looking majorly confused.

Quinn can’t blame her. She did kind of just… drop that on her, no explanation. “I wasn’t always the best,” Quinn says, repeating her words, “in fact, for a long time I was kind of the worst to you.”

Rachel sets her bowl of ice cream on the table, and then reaches for her, a hand settling onto Quinn’s arm, the look in her eyes filled with concern, glazed with confusion. “Where is this coming from?” she asks, “because I guess that’s true, but it was a long time ago, and I forgave you a long time ago too.”

Quinn shakes her head. “I don’t know,” she says, because she really doesn’t know where this is coming from, it’s just one of those days she has sometimes, “I was just thinking about it I guess. I do sometimes.”

“Baby, you don’t have to think about that, we’re way past that,” she says, and Quinn knows that, she knows they’re a million miles past their shaky history, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy for her to let go.

It’s nearly impossible to forget she hurt Rachel, and it’s even harder to forgive herself. This was the woman she loved, and she’d made her first few years of high school a living hell. She knows that she’s to blame for a lot of the insecurities Rachel suffers, and how can that not get to her sometimes? She knows she has her reasoning, but excuses weren’t helpful. “Yeah, I know,” she says, “but that doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven myself. I hurt you. I made you feel like shit because I was scared and repressed and that’s just not fair.”

Rachel looks at her, her hand stroking soothing patterns on Quinn’s arm, “You can let go Quinn, I promise, it’s okay.” 

Quinn feels tears form in her eyes, and she wishes right now she wasn’t doing this. She wishes she could just let go, hold Rachel close, watch one of the happiest movies ever, and smile while her girlfriend looks adorable eating ice cream, but she just can’t. “I can’t,” she says, her voice watery, almost near a whimper.

Concern is written across Rachel’s face, and the love is so evident, it’s enough for the tears to start falling down Quinn’s face. “Okay baby,” she says so soft, “let’s talk about this then. Let’s work it out, so at least for today, you can let go. I want you to feel good, happy about us, and that’s only going to happen if you let this all out okay?”

It’s such a Rachel way of dealing with things, nothing like Quinn, so open, emotional in a way Quinn doesn’t know how to be, but she’s trying so hard to do this right, so she’ll try. “Some days, not everyday, I hate myself, for what I did to you,” she says, her words struggling to come out, “and I know that I should cut myself some slack, because I was repressed and terrified and in an unsafe situation, and because I’ve spent every minute since making up for it, but on some days, I look at you, and alongside all the usual emotions I feel, I feel an overwhelming sense of guilt.”

Rachel nods, moving that much closer to Quinn but not saying anything. Quinn knows she wants her to continue, so she takes a deep breath and tries her best. “I was selfish, you know,” she says, “everything I did to hurt you is because I was hurting myself. You know I did it because I was attracted to you? I was obsessed with you, I thought you were attractive and I couldn’t be attracted to a woman, and so I did everything I could to… I don’t know… masculinize you. I called you man hands, treasure trail, Rupaul, all those stupid, awful nicknames because I couldn’t come to terms with who I was and what I felt for you and I hate that I did that. Because none of it is even the slightest bit true.”   
  
Quinn takes Rachel’s hand in her own, bringing it to her mouth, giving it a soft kiss. “I hate to think I did anything to make you feel bad about yourself because I was too stupid, too scared to realize I was gay, and majorly into you.”

“Well,” Rachel says, looking at Quinn with a soft smile on her face, “if it makes you feel any better, I definitely know that I don’t have manly hands, because I know you’re gay and you probably wouldn’t let me touch you if I did.” 

Quinn laughs a little, dryly, without much humour. “And Quinn, I know you feel bad and I hate that you do, but you really don’t have to, because I’ve gotten over it, I’ve moved on. I never even blamed you, because I knew you were going through something. I knew you never meant it. I could see it in your eyes,” she continues. 

The empathy blows Quinn’s mind, Rachel cares with reckless abandon, about everyone. She always has, even when others have called her selfish, even when others have said she only cared about herself. Quinn always knew that wasn’t the truth, because Rachel had always been the only one who cared about her, no matter what. 

Quinn doesn’t say anything, and neither does Rachel for a moment. The only action is Rachel pulling Quinn into her arms. “It doesn’t matter either way though, you know,” Rachel says, and Quinn looks at her, confused, “it doesn’t really matter if you meant every word, because I know that now, you don’t feel the same way. You love me so well Quinn, not a single word from then matters at all. Because now, you don’t ever give me any reason to doubt you. No one has ever loved me the way you do. You’re just perfect. You kiss my nose, and hold me close and tell me you love me constantly. I love you is like every second sentence, and I love it. You call me beautiful every chance you get, and I can see in your eyes every time you look at me that it’s true. You really see me that way, and nothing and I mean nothing else matters Quinn. There is no past when the present is this perfect.”

The tears are fully streaming down her face right now, because that was a speech and a half, and to get reassurance that confident is insane. Rachel wouldn’t say something like that if she didn’t mean it, and it makes Quinn lose it just a little bit. She’s so lucky to be loved by her. She’s so lucky to get to love her, because Quinn loves doing every little thing Rachel just said, and she can tell that those things mean everything to her. It was a wonderful pairing. “Thank you,” Quinn says, turning in Rachel’s arms so she can just hold her close.

Rachel sighs, a happy pleasant sigh, “Why are you thanking me? I’m the one with the best girlfriend in the world,” she says, leaning right into the hug.

Quinn shakes her head. “That’s you.”

“It’s up for debate,” Rachel argues, but it doesn’t continue, they just settle into the hug, comfortable silence hanging in the air.

Eventually Quinn pulls away to look at Rachel, to press a kiss to her lips. “I love you so much,” she says, against Rachel’s lips, “I’m gonna love you forever if you’ll let me.”

“I should be so lucky,” Rachel says, a cheeky grin on her face.

Quinn kisses her once more, before adjusting their positions so that Rachel’s lying close to her, cuddled into her lap. She wraps an arm tight about Rachel’s middle, ensuring there’s no distance between them, just comfortable closeness. She grabs the remote, ready to play the movie again, because she feels much better than she had moments before, but she waits a second, one final word to say. “You know I think you’re the most beautiful woman in the world right?” she asks.

“I know baby,” Rachel says, and right then, that answer isn’t self-centered at all in the slightest. It’s exactly what Quinn needs to hear. 

Pressing a kiss to Rachel’s head, Quinn plays the movie. Neither of them remember or care that there’s a bowl of ice cream melting on the table, it just doesn’t seem that important right now. 


	14. day 14: genderswapped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everybody, today I introduce you to the world lucas quinn fabray and ryan bartholomew berry, two closeted boarding school gays. this is HEAVILY based on a song from Bare: A Pop Opera, so i would totally suggest listening to that awesome song, You & I, as well as the rest of the musical, because it really fits these two!! hope you enjoy
> 
> I do not own Glee, it's characters or plotlines, and I don't own Bare: A Pop Opera, or the lyrics from the song that i used.

The girls loved Quinn. They were obsessed with him, and the fact that he had a mysterious air and no apparent interest in them only deepened their attraction. Ryan hated it. It made him angry and jealous and while he knew it was reductive and wrong, especially as a bi person, he was always scared that Quinn would leave him for a girl. 

It was stupid. It wasn’t a warranted fear, but he still felt it. He knew how scared his… boyfriend (they hadn’t talked about labels really, but Ryan thought that was what they were) was about whatever this was, about his sexuality and the way the world would react. Ryan understood, he really did, they went to boarding school, with a lot of homophobic individuals around, and if the truth came out, especially for Quinn, it would not be pretty. But sometimes it hurts, the way he ignores Ryan around everyone else. They’re roommates, so they spend the most time around each other, and sometimes they get to have casual conversations in the hallway, but mostly whispered words, nothing direct. Everything between them was confined between the four walls of their bedroom.

Ryan pretends it doesn’t hurt, tries not to let it hurt him because he knows the reasoning, but it hurts, and when he comes back to his room after class, he can’t seem to let it go. He hates himself for it, he does, but when Quinn comes in, after football practice, there’s tear tracks staining his cheeks, and he knows Quinn sees them. Quinn looks at him, an eyebrow raising. “You okay?” he asks.

Ryan looks at his feet, doesn’t think the question warrants an answer. He’s clearly not okay. Quinn settles across from him, on his own bed, and just stares for a moment. “Do you… Do you wanna talk about it?” 

Of course Ryan wants to talk about it. Unlike most guys, he thrives on talking about his emotions. It helps to make him feel better, it helps to make him feel heard, and there was nothing Ryan loved more than being heard. The problem is though, Quinn was not like that. In the many years they’d known each other, Ryan doesn’t think he’s heard Quinn speak a single word about his emotions. So, Ryan doesn’t really want to burden him with his stupid problems. Ryan shakes his head. Not worth it.

“C’mon dude,” Quinn says, and Ryan almost cringes at the nickname, “just tell me.”

He says nothing, playing with his hands, kicking off his shoes and tucking his knees under himself on the bed. “Ryan,” Quinn says, standing, crossing to Ryan’s bed to bring them closer, “baby, what’s wrong?”

And yep, all Quinn has to do is call him pet names like that, and he was gone. Putty in his hands. “It’s nothing,” he starts, and Quinn knows he’s going to continue, “it’s stupid. I just… I’m scared.”

Quinn says nothing, pulling Ryan towards him. Ryan hums, continuing. “I don’t love the way we don’t talk outside of whispers and pleasantries when we’re not in this room. It makes me feel like nothing to you and I’m worried that you’re going to get spooked, and start dating a girl or leave me and not deal with,” he pauses, trying to decide how to word this without scaring Quinn off, “whatever this is until you’re older. I am just finding it hard to trust that you’ll be here, with me.”

Silence hangs in the air, for longer than Ryan likes. He figures that’s it, Quinn’s going to let him talk about it, but he’s not going to answer. Quinn surprises him. “Ryan, you don’t have to worry about that,” he says, “you can trust me.”

The words feel sincere but he doesn’t know how to feel. He’s never truly been with someone at all, this is the first time he’s ever dipping his toes into the waters of romance and love, and it’s scary. It’s hard to believe anyone would want him. It’s always been hard for him to believe that, and with Quinn who’s gorgeous, and mysterious and seemingly unattainable, it’s worse. “How can I?” he asks, his voice small, sheepish, embarrassed he’s even asking this.

Quinn flips them so that Ryan is staring at him, but he’s scared to meet his eyes, doesn’t want to see the hurt reflected back in them. “Look at me,” Quinn says, tilting Ryan’s chin up, “look in my eyes.”

Ryan does as he’s told, hazel meeting brown, and there’s nothing but love, respect, understanding, and maybe even want, reflected back. It’s reassuring, as an actor Ryan knows that faking that kind of look, with that much emotion, is nearly impossible. He doesn’t think Quinn’s that good of an actor. “You leave me breathless,” Quinn says, “just seeing you makes my heart race.”

Quinn takes Ryan’s hand from the back, pressing his open palm to his chest, and sure enough, he can feel the beat, fast, like he’d just run laps and was trying to catch his breath, but he’d been here for ten minutes now, and out of practice for longer. Ryan knows what that means, and he feels his breath catch in his throat. “All you, baby,” he says, a small smirk on his face that just blows Ryan’s mind. 

Quinn kisses him then, and all the passion is there, all the emotion that Ryan desperately craves. It’s confirmation of the feelings, everything he needs to know. Eventually they pull away, but they stay close, Ryan’s head resting on Quinn’s chest. They sit quietly, enjoying the comfort of each other for a moment. Ryan though, has something he wants to ask Quinn, and he’s hoping that maybe, the emotional, open discussion they just had will goad him into saying yes. “So,” Ryan begins, “I’m going to try out, to be in Romeo and Juliet.”

“That’s great,” Quinn encourages, “you’d be a great Romeo.”

Ryan hums, “I thought maybe you could try out too.”

Immediately Quinn shakes his head. “No,” he says, “I don’t act, you know that. Plus, I was thinking about trying out for baseball.”

Ryan resists the urge to roll his eyes. “You don’t play baseball,” he argues.

“Yeah and I don’t act either.”

“I think we’re the best act this school has ever seen,” Ryan spits, because god, it’s true, everyday they act, everyday they pretend what they have is nothing. Nothing about the image Quinn puts on is real at all.

Quinn sighs, defeated. He knows he can’t argue with that, Ryan knows he has nothing to say. “I can’t do it,” he says, but Ryan knows he’s close to giving in. 

“It will be fun, I promise, it’s just an excuse for us to be able to see each other, with no fear, to spend time together,” he says, “and no one will expect a thing.”

Quinn doesn’t say anything further, taking in a long breath. Ryan knows he’s pondering it, letting the idea run in his head. He’s considering how it would affect his reputation, how others would see him. Ryan considers telling him that Sam Evans is trying out to be Juliet, and that the two of them playing romantic leads (as much as Ryan desires to play Romeo, he knows he won’t, Ms. Schue couldn’t see him as leading man material) would only boost his reputation as a bit of a womanizer, but he figures Quinn knows. It’s just a matter of whether that outweighs the other fears he’s having about the whole thing. “Fine,” Quinn says, “it would be nice to have more time together, outside of this room.”

Ryan smiles widely. “Great,” he says, “I think you’re a shoo-in for Romeo.”

“Well I mean, obviously,” Quinn agrees, “have you seen me? I’m devastatingly good looking.”

Ryan laughs, reaching for Quinn’s hand and squeezing. “Trust me babe,” he says, “I’ve seen you, and there’s no arguments here.”

Laughing, Quinn presses a kiss to the top of Ryan’s head. It’s a comforting gesture, one that feels just right. It’s that confirmation Ryan bitterly craves, appeased in the softest way. They were going to get through this together, and then the only acting Ryan would ever do would be on the stage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again, i do not own the lyrics from Bare, the direct one being "we're the best act this school has ever seen," which I wish I had the brain power to come up with. god it's the best. Please please read this and check it out.


	15. day 15: accidents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello readers of mine, today i bring you: accidents. and i promise they're happy ones. no other type of accidents here. hope this is to your liking friends.
> 
> I do not own glee, its characters or its plotlines.

Quinn loves sleepovers with Rachel. She doesn’t get nearly enough time with her girlfriend during the week, so she likes it when they can spend the weekends together, with no fear of anyone interrupting them. At school they didn’t have that luxury, they weren’t out, they couldn’t just spend time together, especially coupley time together, without worrying about who was watching. At Rachel’s house though, that was different, they were able to just be, and Quinn loved it.

Now, she lies in Rachel’s bed, with her girlfriend tucked under her chin, and it’s perfect, except for the fact that Rachel’s alarm clock had just loudly gone off. Her most peaceful slumber had been rudely interrupted, and Rachel was already moving in her arms, ready for the day ahead of her, even though it’s still ungodly early. “Baby,” Quinn says, grasping at Rachel’s shirt as she starts to climb out of bed, “please can we just cuddle for a few minutes?”

Rachel sighs. “Fine,” she says, turning back to Quinn and cuddling close.

Quinn laughs, wrapping her arms back around her girlfriend. “Well don’t torture yourself,” she teases.

“Cuddling is never torture,” Rachel says, pressing a kiss to Quinn’s lips, “especially with you, but I do have plans in two hours and I want to be ready soon.”

Quinn relishes in Rachel’s soft words, but she knows her girlfriend is right. It’s almost eight thirty, and they both have plans at ten thirty and then Glee rehearsals after that, so they’re going to have to get up soon if they want to make it on time. Quinn’s thankful she doesn’t have to go home first, it means she can really stretch out this cuddling for as long as possible. 

She threads her fingers through Rachel’s hair, hoping to calm her, maybe get her to forget getting up for a few minutes, but the two of them grow a little too comfortable. So comfortable in fact, that they happen to fall right back to sleep. And they don’t wake until there’s a loud knock on the door, at ten fifteen. “Girls,” LeRoy calls, “aren’t you supposed to be awake already?”

It startles Quinn, her eyes widening when she sees the time on the clock. “Rach,” she says, shaking her girlfriend who’s still snoring lightly, “Rach, you gotta get up.”

Rachel groans. “No, comfy,” she says, curling closer to Quinn.

“Rachel, it’s ten fifteen,” she says, and Rachel’s eyes immediately open.

“It’s what now?”

“Ten fifteen,” Quinn says.

Rachel’s eyes widen. “It is not,” she says, and she’s already getting out of bed.

“It is,” Quinn says, following her lead. 

They tear through the room, getting dressed and ready as fast as they can. They both throw on letterman jackets, Quinn’s from cheerios, and Rachel’s the new Glee letterman, and leave with breakfast bars to sooth hungry stomachs. They barely kiss goodbye, and that’s certainly what Quinn mourns the most when she gets into her car. Usually, she gets a long kiss when she leaves, but the lack of time had led to just a peck. Quinn was a bit grumpy. 

///

Her morning plans are breakfast with the Unholy Trinity and Sam, and she knows Santana’s gonna be mad she’s running late, because she’s the one who insisted on the early time. Rachel had told her she’d have early plans so Quinn had figured she might as well. Santana just wasn’t happy when she found out that’s what Quinn’s plans were. On weekends she didn’t like to get up before noon.

Quinn enters the restaurant at ten fifty-three, sheepishly going over to the booth where her friends were seated. Santana meets her eyes, brows raising as Quinn sits beside Sam across from her. “Where have you been?” she asks, and it has all the cadence and tone of a mother disappointed in her child. 

“I slept in,” she says, and it’s not a lie, just an omission of key details.

Santana hums, clearly unhappy. “Q arranges an early meeting and then sleeps in, how irresponsible,” she shakes her head, looking at her like she was  _ so  _ disappointed.

Brittany looks at her then, one blonde eyebrow raised. “What are you wearing?” she asks, and Quinn looks down.

Currently covering her body is a letterman jacket, just not her usual one. It’s the Glee letterman, Rachel’s in specific. “The Glee letterman,” she says, because they all have one. It’s just rare that Quinn ever wears hers, given that she already has the Cheerio one.

The Glee letterman had of course been Rachel’s idea, as team unity in their last year of high school, but those of them with lettermans already rarely wore theirs, much to Rachel’s chagrin. That being said, Quinn hoped the lie was sufficient enough, she could definitely be wearing her own Glee letterman. She just hopes they don’t notice how snugly this one fits, how it clearly looks a bit more worn than hers would be. It’s obvious it’s Rachel’s with the smallest bit of inspection, and she just hopes her friends aren’t that observant. 

Of course, if she’s wearing Rachel’s jacket, Rachel must be wearing hers, but she figures that’s a problem for future Quinn.

Brittany looks at her, eyebrow still raised, for a moment longer. Quinn feels like she’s under interrogation, but she stands her ground. “Okay,” Brittany finally says, “you know, it looks good on you.”

Quinn smiles, feeling like she’s won, at least for now. “Thanks Britt,” she says.

The conversation turns away from Quinn’s outfit choice, and she feels incredibly grateful.

///

On Rachel’s end, the conversation doesn’t end that quickly. It’s partly because her friends are a bit nosier, but it’s also because she doesn’t have the convenient excuse of having a Cheerios jacket herself. When she arrives at the mall, both of her best friends immediately look at her, eyes widening. “What are you wearing?” Mercedes says, recognizing the Cheerio jacket within seconds. 

It takes Rachel a moment to realize herself though, as she looks down, at her outfit, which by all accounts, shouldn’t be any different than usual. The jacket on her body though, is decidedly not her own, she must’ve grabbed Quinn’s by accident in her rush. Rachel can’t deny she likes how she looks in Quinn’s jacket, but she supposes that’s not what she should be thinking about right now. She should be thinking of an excuse for why she’s wearing her secret girlfriend’s jacket instead of her own. “Uh, well,” she says, and god, she has no idea what to say.

Jesse just laughs. “You finally admit your feelings for Fabray?”

Rachel stares at them both, because what the hell is she supposed to say? Quinn wasn’t ready to come out, she couldn’t out their relationship to her friends. Finally, something clicks in her head, after way too long. “Quinn was over to work on a history project last night and she left her jacket,” Rachel says, nodding along with herself, “I must have thrown it on by accident, instead of my own jacket.”

Mercedes looks at her, eyebrows drawn, and Jesse mirrors her expression. Rachel levels them with her best confident stare. For an actress, she knows she’s a terrible liar. Damn her dads for creating a comfortable and loving environment where she never felt the need to lie. “Okay Rach…” Mercedes says, seemingly unbelieving but not willing to push. 

Rachel feels thankful for that, because really, if they pushed, she might’ve broke, and she would’ve felt absolutely awful.

///

After breakfast, Glee rehearsals are almost right away, and Quinn hopes she can run into Rachel before they go in. She isn’t quite sure what she’s going to say to her when she does, but she figures it’s best they trade jackets, so that they don’t push the already tedious ground she knows she stands on with Brittany. She bets it’s even worse with Rachel and her friends, so she knows they really need to talk about it.

Quinn’s lucky, she stalls in her car when they all go their separate ways, and when she pulls into the parking lot, she sees Rachel’s car, her girlfriend still inside. Quinn’s a bit on edge, a bit scared when she exits her car, but then, Rachel gets out of her car too, and everything changes. Rachel’s wearing her jacket, which is a fact she knew, but seeing it in person, that was a whole other thing. The jacket was a bit big on Rachel, her hands hidden by the sleeves, and the body reaching lower than her own would, but Quinn thinks it’s easily the most adorable thing she’s ever seen. Rachel looks incredibly cute, but the fact that it’s Quinn’s jacket also makes it alarmingly hot. She knows it’s a bit backwards to be possessive, and she doesn’t think Rachel is an object to be owned, Rachel isn’t  _ hers _ , she’s her own woman who can do as she pleases and be who she wants, but it also drives Quinn a little insane to see Rachel in something that so blatantly marks her as being with Quinn. She can barely breathe looking at her, because god, Rachel is approaching, and she’s Quinn’s and she loves her. She doesn’t want Rachel to ever take the jacket off again.

“Hi,” Rachel says, as she enters speaking distance. 

Words can’t even make it out of Quinn's mouth, she just closes the remaining area between them and pulls Rachel into a kiss, potential audience be damned. The kiss is just as good as every single kiss they’ve ever shared, but there’s something about the open air, with the potential for everyone to see. Rachel pulls away far too soon, and she looks at Quinn with big concerned eyes. “Uh, I think Mercedes and Jesse suspect something, I tried to lie the best I can, but you know I’m not that good at lying and I mean, there wasn’t a lot of excuses for me wear—”

“Fuck it,” Quinn interrupts, “I don’t even care.” 

Rachel’s eyebrow raises. “What?”

“I don’t care, like at all in the slightest,” she says, “I was gonna tell you we should switch jackets, but I might die if you take that one off.”

Rachel’s confusion grows. “What? Why?”

Quinn smiles, “I love how you look in my jacket,” she says, “I don’t want you to take it off.”

Rachel blushes, looking down at her outfit, “I do look pretty good don’t I?”

Admiring the look one more time, Quinn nods. “You look fucking incredible.”

“I look like I belong to you,” Rachel says, and Quinn thinks it might just be the best words she’s ever heard.

She doesn’t want Rachel to feel uncomfortable though, so she checks to make sure that’s okay. “Yeah, that’s okay right?”

Rachel smirks, “More than, I kinda love it,” she says.

Quinn thinks that’s even better than the words she’d heard before. Rachel loves being hers, and there’s no way Quinn’s not gonna show her off, to hell with what anyone else thinks. “I kinda love you,” she says.

“Mhm, well I definitely love you,” Rachel says.

Quinn kisses her again, adoring the way this feels, openness was  _ incredible _ , better than she knew was possible. “You wanna go to rehearsal now? We’re gonna be late and I was already late once today,” Rachel says.

“Let’s go, we need the practice,” Quinn says, taking Rachel’s hand.

“I don’t, but it never hurts to keep working,” Rachel says, as they walk to the door.

“Of course baby, you’re already perfect,” Quinn agrees.

She might be buttering her girlfriend up a bit, but it was true, and she wasn’t going to lie. They walk right into rehearsals together, and Quinn finds she’s not even scared.

///

“I knew that wasn’t your jacket,” Santana says as soon as Quinn and Rachel walk in hand and hand.

“No you didn’t, I did,” Brittany says, shaking her head.

“Well I knew that Rachel’s story was fake as hell,” Mercedes says.

No one seems surprised by this turn of events, after that there’s no words even spoken on it, and Quinn’s glad it’s nothing amongst their friends. It’s a relief she definitely needs, and now she can hold her girlfriend’s hand in public, kiss her, and see her in that jacket. Thank god for happy accidents. 


	16. day 16: morning rituals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello folks i am here, at four thirty am as seems to be the norm as of late. this is morning rituals/routines, and i hope it is good! not much else to say here. 
> 
> I do not own glee nor do i own it's plotlines and characters!

Quinn wakes in the early hours of the morning, to an empty bed. It wasn’t unusual, she didn’t have a girlfriend, so she often slept alone, but last night, she’d climbed into a bed with another person. That person was Rachel Berry, because she had a two bedroom apartment, the other room owned by Jesse, and she told Quinn there was no way she’d let her sleep on the couch the whole time she was visiting from Yale. This was the logical answer, except for the fact that it greatly exacerbates the huge crush Quinn has on Rachel. Just the thought of sleeping next to her got Quinn’s heart racing. It was almost embarrassing, especially given the fact Quinn didn’t think Rachel felt the same. 

Quinn wasn’t sure if waking up without Rachel was better or worse, she would’ve liked the feeling of her, warm beside her, but she knows she might not have been able to handle it, like emotionally. How was she supposed to deal with Rachel in bed beside her? It might have just killed her. She supposes she’s lucky then.

The shower is running, Quinn can hear the creaking of the pipes and the water, but most importantly, when she focuses in, she can hear Rachel. She’s singing, as she often does, and the sound is heavenly. Quinn recognizes the song, it’s I’m The Greatest Star from Funny Girl, and it makes her smile. Rachel does all the different voice inflections Barbra does, creating a little show for no one but her, and Quinn who’s listening in. It makes Quinn’s heart sing a little bit, knowing so little people get to experience things like this. Rachel’s going to be a big star someday, everyone will know her voice, but Quinn is one of the few people who will ever get to hear her like this. It feels like she’s witnessing something special. It feels a bit like a gift she can’t believe she gets. She wants to listen to this everyday for the rest of her life.

The water turns off, the sound of Rachel’s singing becoming clearer. She’s moved onto Don’t Rain On My Parade, just as good, if not better than the first song. Quinn wonders if she’ll get through the whole Funny Girl soundtrack this morning as she gets ready. It would be quite the honour to hear it. After a minute or two, Rachel enters the bedroom, and Quinn watches with half lidded eyes as she moves to the vanity. She sits, setting out to do her makeup. Quinn can see her in the mirror, even in the lowlight of the bedroom, and god, she knows Rachel is the most beautiful woman she’s ever seen. In the morning though, before the day’s through, Rachel is radiant. Sitting at her vanity, makeupless and fresh from the shower, she looks vibrant in a way no one else does in the morning, and just so gorgeous. Quinn’s heart might just stop in her chest. That’s just the way Rachel made her feel.

She watches her do her makeup reverently, admiring the practice with which she does her eyeliner, something Quinn knows is relatively new to her look. She loves how it accentuates Rachel’s already exquisite eyes. Quinn had always thought Rachel was attractive, no matter how she dressed or did her makeup, but she couldn’t deny that was incredibly alluring.

She does her lips, a subtle pinkish lip gloss, and Quinn turns on her back, because she really can’t focus on Rachel’s lips, it might make her do something crazy. A moment later though, Rachel addresses her. “Quinn?” Rachel says, “I know you’re awake.”  
“Morning Rachel,” she greets quietly, turning her gaze back to Rachel.

Their eyes meet in the mirror, and Rachel smiles at her. It’s the best thing she could see in the morning honestly, and it makes Quinn think about how lovely it would be to see that smile in her bed every morning. Everything about Rachel makes her wish that they could be more than friends, makes her wish they could be together more than their schedules and current locations allow. “Good morning Quinn,” Rachel says, “I’m going to try to make breakfast soon, and I figured you might want to help, as I do have a notorious history for nearly burning down my kitchen.”

The idea sounds wonderfully domestic in all the best ways, so she nods, standing from the bed. She doesn’t bother to change yet, she wants to enjoy breakfast in her pyjamas, not the morning person Rachel was. They wander to the kitchen together, and Rachel goes to the pantry, looking for whatever she planned to make. “Pancakes?” Rachel says, pulling out a box of mix.

Quinn nods, simple enough, Rachel should be able to cook it almost all by herself without making a real mess of things. Quinn starts the coffee, cherishing how at home she feels, just making breakfast with Rachel. It’s pretty much the best thing ever, the only thing she could think to make it better was maybe a few early morning kisses.

Rachel as it turns out, is a hopeless chef. She can’t flip the pancakes, every time she tries it ends in a battery mess, so the first few are extremely burnt on the bottom. Quinn has to take over that job, hoping Rachel can handle cutting some fruit. She doesn’t want to take Rachel to the emergency room today.

They work well together, not in silence, because as soon as they had entered Rachel had started playing music, and now was singing animatedly to Take Me Or Leave Me from Rent, but in comfortable companionship. Rachel directs the song to Quinn, essentially asking her to take her or leave her, and well, Quinn wonders what would happen if she just said she’d take her. It would be a relationship starting line Rachel would adore, if it turned out right, but she’s fearful it won’t, so she doesn’t say anything. She smiles, flipping a pancake, and enjoys the show.

She settles across from Rachel, their breakfast set out on the table in front of them. It feels a bit like a date, the butterflies in her stomach swarming at just the thought. She can’t deny how this whole thing has felt borderline romantic, she certainly doesn’t share a bed with someone and then make breakfast together often. Rachel grabs a pancake, setting it on the plate and dousing it in the maple syrup. She uses a bit too much, her pancake practically swimming in it, and it’s an odd thing to be charmed by, but Quinn supposes that’s just what Rachel does to her.

Quinn sips her coffee, watching as Rachel takes her first bite. Rachel hums, “You are a stellar pancake flipper,” she says, addressing Quinn with a little giggle.

“Well, I was trained excessively,” Quinn teases.

“I believe it,” Rachel nods, as she takes a sip from her coffee mug.

Quinn’s eyes drop to her lips as she drinks, watching them meet the rim. She can see the gloss Rachel applied earlier, and her mind wanders, wondering if it tasted of anything. She wishes she could kiss her, just for research obviously. Curiosity about the taste that’s all. And the softness of Rachel’s lips, and if she was a good kisser, and honestly just the very sensation of kissing her. Quinn wanted to know it all, and it seemed like her mouth was going to make it happen for her. “Kiss me,” she says, without even thinking.

Rachel’s eyebrows furrow. “What?”

Quinn’s eyes drop to her plate, her hands fumbling with the mug she holds. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t ha—”

“No Quinn, what did you say?” Rachel asks, her voice low.

“I said kiss me,” she says, because she wasn’t going to lie now, “please.”

She adds the polite word onto the end, feeling a bit stupid. Rachel looks at her, eyes wide. “You want me to kiss you?”

She bites back a snarky response, and just nods, not meeting Rachel’s eyes. 

Seconds later, Rachel is in her lap, and lips are meeting hers. Quinn’s first reaction is no reaction. She’s so shocked that “kiss me” actually worked that she doesn’t kiss back, but she’s not stupid enough to let that last long. She kisses back with all the passion she’d felt, with the energy of every kiss she’d want to give Rachel that morning. And there was a lot of them.

The kiss is insanely good, better than any kiss Quinn’s ever experienced. All her questions magically get answered. Rachel’s lips were insanely soft, she was probably the best kisser in the entire world, and the act of kissing Rachel was practically ethereal. She tastes of syrup and coffee, and the faintest hint of strawberry. Probably that lip gloss Quinn had been wondering about. 

Rachel pulls away, leaving Quinn begging for more, but the smile on her face is simply incredible. “I’ve been wanting to do that forever,” Rachel breathes.

Quinn grins. “Then by all means, please continue.”

Rachel does.

Their breakfast goes cold, but Quinn can’t bring herself to care, because it’s by far the best part of her morning. She’s hoping she can make it part of the routine.


	17. day 17: soulmates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well im back at it again with a soulmate au this time. I'm honest in saying I'm not sure how I feel about this one, but its 4:30 and i just want to get it posted, so tell me what you think, and feel free to criticize. 
> 
> I don't own Glee, its characters or its plotlines.

For as long as Rachel can remember, she had a strip of blonde colouring on her wrist. Everyone had some hair colour on theirs, and that would be the colour of their soulmate’s hair. Rachel’s was blonde, and so she often kept an eye out for those around her who were blonde. She’d considered Brittany, but she figured her soulmate was Santana, even if the two hadn’t come to terms with it. She considered Sam, but he had informed her that his hair was dyed, and her mark had never once changed colours. On her first day of freshman year she had considered Quinn, the nice girl who sat beside her in english, but by day three, the slushies in her face and the rude names spat at her severely discredited that theory. Rachel figures she’ll meet her soulmate in college, or on the stage of her first broadway show. It would fit her narrative, the dream she was building, and she was more than okay with it.

Midway through the summer before senior year, the mark on her wrist changes for the first time in her life. Over the course of about half an hour, the soulmate mark that has become a constant throughout her life grew pinker and pinker, until it was a rich, almost hot pink. It’s easily the most fascinating thing Rachel’s ever seen. 

It’s all she thinks about for the rest of the summer. She wanted to know what caused her soulmate to do it, she wondered if it was just for fun, if it was for a role, or if they were going through some sort of weird phase. Rachel wonders if she’ll ever see her soulmate with their pink hair, or if it’ll eventually fade to blonde again (or be dyed another colour, eccentric or otherwise), and when she thinks she’s found the one she’ll have to ask if they dyed their hair in the summer of 2011 to make sure it’s true. 

The pink doesn’t fade throughout the remainder of the summer, and something happens that Rachel hadn’t even considered. The first day of school comes, and Rachel meets her friends at their lockers. It wasn’t like they hadn’t seen each other, Lima was a small town with little to do, so they’d spent most of their summer together, and they all knew about the change from blonde to pink. It had been on Rachel’s mind after all, and Rachel Berry was one to speak her mind. Both Mercedes and Kurt stand there though, looking extremely awkward. Kurt’s eyes continually drift to Mercedes while Rachel talks about her plans for Glee club this year, and Mercedes won’t meet them. Rachel can’t help but wonder why the hell they’re acting so sketchy. “What is up with you two?” she asks, and her friends finally make eye contact. 

“Well… uh,” Kurt says, and Rachel’s about to press him for more, when she looks up, a familiar face practically strutting down the hallway, not looking so familiar.

It’s Quinn, that’s obvious, she didn’t look that different, but she’d certainly gotten a makeover. She’s wearing an outfit that past Quinn wouldn’t have been caught dead in, with a long grey and white skirt and a crop top that almost looked like it was cut or rolled or something by Quinn herself. Quinn’s stomach was on view, and Rachel somehow remembers her telling Puck she used to have abs, and used to was definitely the wrong phrase to describe them. Her nose is pierced too, something Rachel’s sure didn’t fly well with Quinn’s conservative mother. The thing that strikes Rachel the most though, is Quinn’s dye job. Rich, almost hot pink. Rachel glances at Mercedes and Kurt, ensuring that she’s not the only one seeing this, and then looks down at her wrist, just as a reminder. Pink. What to her, looks like the exact same pink as Quinn’s hair. 

Rachel’s jaw drops, and her whole world practically spins. Sure, she and Quinn were less than antagonistic at this point, but she’d made her judgement in the ninth grade, Quinn wasn’t her soulmate. Now all evidence pointed to the contrary, and Rachel just wasn’t even sure how to react. It was startling, worldflipping, life changing. Quinn Fabray was her soulmate, and she looked like she was going through something, because this was not like her. It worried Rachel. She’d always cared about Quinn, and it makes even more sense now why she did. 

Rachel knows she needs to speak to Quinn, make sure she’s okay and break the news to her. She just hopes that finding out Rachel’s her soulmate doesn’t make whatever Quinn’s going through worse.

///

Rachel spends the whole day considering the fact that Quinn was her soulmate, trying to decide how best to approach her. She’d come to the conclusion around fourth period that she was extremely happy Quinn was her soulmate, she was smart and beautiful and she clearly cared about Rachel, even if she pretended she didn’t. They’d had their rough patches, but Rachel knew Quinn had been struggling, and she was able to look past them. Quite easily if she was being honest. She was almost starstruck over the fact that Quinn was her soulmate. She hoped Quinn would be too. 

The problem came down to how to tell Quinn. She was sort of unapproachable at the moment, glaring at the non-skank people who tried to speak to her, and Rachel just wasn’t eager to fight with her soulmate before she even told her the truth of their relationship.

She decides that after school, she’d find Quinn under the bleachers, where people said the skanks often hung out, and she’ll just ask her to speak alone, and hopefully Quinn will come with her. 

She can’t lie, Rachel’s a bit scared, in part because of the skanks and their reputation, but also because she simply fears rejection. What if Quinn doesn’t want to talk to her? Worse, what if Quinn does talk to her, and rejects Rachel’s proposal that they might be soulmates? She’s only known for a day, but she thinks that might just kill her. But fear doesn’t stop Rachel Berry, no matter how scared she might be. She was going to talk to Quinn.

She heads to the bleachers, only stopping three times to give herself a pep talk. She’s proud of that number. As soon as she gets there, she feels out of place. She knows it’s impossible for bleachers to feel dank (there’s far too much airflow for mustiness)but it sure as hell feels like it down there. The smell of cigarette smoke is strong in the air, and she does her best not to inhale through the mouth, her vocal cords were too important to her. She only hopes she can convince Quinn to quit, because Rachel would prefer her soulmate was able to sing. And she doesn’t really want Quinn to reach an early death because of that unhealthy habit. 

“Quinn?” Rachel calls, as soon as she’s in sight.

Quinn turns to her, her features softening in a way Rachel had never expected. She briefly wonders if Quinn  _ knows _ , but it doesn’t seem possible. Maybe Rachel was just imagining the softness, or maybe it was innate in Quinn, because of the bond they share. That thought made Rachel’s heart flip in her chest. “Rachel,” Quinn says quietly, a tone Rachel’s not sure she’s ever heard, but maybe she wasn’t listening, “what are you doing here?”

Rachel’s eyes dart to the skanks that surround Quinn, before drawing her attention back. “I was uh, hoping we could speak alone,” she asks, hoping her voice doesn’t betray how much she needs Quinn to say yes.

“I’m not coming back to Glee,” Quinn says, and while that’s not what she wants to discuss, Rachel’s still hopeful that if all works out, that will change.

“That’s not what I’m here to talk about,” she says, looking at Quinn’s right wrist, where her mark was covered by some chains, “it’s more important than that.” 

Quinn fixes her with an intense stare, making Rachel feel as if she could stare right through her. She feels almost exposed, but she supposes it was a price she was willing to pay for Quinn to listen to her right now. “Okay,” she says, nodding, walking closer to Rachel.

She grabs Rachel by the hand, tugging her away from the skanks and back to the school, to the bathroom, the one where all their moments before had occurred. It only seems fitting. Quinn checks under the stalls to make sure no one’s there, and Rachel’s glad there isn’t. “What is it, Rachel?” Quinn asks, looking almost bored.

Rachel realizes then, she’d spent so much time thinking about how attractive she thought Quinn was and how smart she had always been and how she’d approach Quinn that she completely forgot to think up how she was going to tell Quinn she was her fucking soulmate. A big oversight on her part. “Uh, well, um,” she says, in the most un-Rachel way possible. She always had the words, where were they now?

Quinn looks at her, one eyebrow raised, and a somewhat amused look on her face, and Rachel attempts to power through. “Did you dye your hair on July seventeenth?” she asks, for some reason, instead of just saying it.

Quinn’s confusion clearly deepens. “Yeah I think it was about then, why?”

Rachel holds up her wrist, “That’s the day this changed colour,” she says.

Complete silence. Quinn stares intently at Rachel’s wrist, her eyes shifting between the pink strip and Rachel’s eyes for what feels like forever. “Are you… saying what I think you are?” Quinn asks.

“Well, yes, I do think so,” Rachel says, “I am under the impression that you are my soulmate.”

Quinn falls against the counter beside her, a deep sigh let out from well within her lungs. It scares Rachel, it doesn’t really seem positive, and she’s about to launch into a rant when Quinn’s mouth opens, “I didn’t think it was possible.”

That certainly stuns Rachel into silence. What did Quinn not think was possible? She didn’t… it couldn’t be… no. “I started crushing on you last year,” Quinn says, and well, Rachel supposes it could be, “probably around Britney week, and uh, well, my mark was a similar colour to your hair, but I just didn’t think it was possible. I mean, you went out with Finn, I thought for sure you had someone with dark hair, and that you were probably straight.”

Rachel still doesn’t know why she went out with Finn. He obviously wasn’t her soulmate, but his mark was similar to her hair, and so for a while, she could pretend. She could feel what it was like to be loved. It hadn’t worked out, obviously, and Finn was awful. She regrets it every time she thinks about it, and she regrets it even more now. “Well, I’m not straight, and up until July seventeenth, the mark had always been blonde,” Rachel says, reaching out for Quinn’s hand. 

Quinn stands up straight, taking the hand and turning to Rachel, a small smile crossing her face. “Are you… are you happy it’s me?” Quinn asks, seemingly reassured of the truth.

“Yes,” Rachel says, because it’s true, it’s all she can think in that moment, staring at Quinn.

Quinn was gorgeous, all soft hazel eyes and a beautiful smile, and she was looking at Rachel like she put the stars in the sky, and Rachel wonders just how she never realized the connection between her and Quinn. It feels so  _ obvious _ now, looking at each other like this. “Are you?” she asks, but she figures she knows the answer, given what Quinn had said moments earlier.

“Of course Rachel, I’ve been crushing on you for almost a year,” she says, “this is the best outcome I could’ve imagined. It’s literally a dream come true.” 

The words have Rachel speechless, again, she doesn’t even know what to think. Never in a million years would she ever have imagined that response from her soulmate, especially given her soulmate was Quinn Fabray. It’s kind of a dream come true for her too though, making her heart warm in her chest. “Look at me making Rachel Berry speechless,” Quinn says, a little cocky, but the arrogance disappears as she continues, “would it be okay if I kissed you?”

Rachel immediately nods, and she isn’t quite sure who does it, but the gap between them is closed, and they’re kissing. Now, Rachel hasn’t kissed many people, just Finn, but there was no doubt in her mind. This was a soulmate kiss. It was utterly mind blowing, she was pretty sure it was transcendental. She might just leave her body, Quinn Fabray was that good of a kisser. It makes her heart rock against her chest, and butterflies swarm in her stomach, because god, she was going to get kissed like this forever. The universe had destined her for these kisses, and they definitely made the right call. She threads her fingers through pink locks, and thanks god for them, because she wouldn’t have known otherwise.

Eventually Quinn pulls away, a cheeky smile on her face. “You like the pink?” she asks. 

Rachel nods, because frankly, Quinn looks devastatingly good in pink. 

She looks great in blonde too though, and over the next few months as the pink fades, Rachel loves it too, because it’s all shown on her wrist, proof that Quinn was meant to be with her forever. Rachel loves that idea. 


	18. day 18: doing something together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! as you can see, this was a very vague prompt, but i wanted to do this for a long time, so I said hell yeah when i got the vague prompt! this is quinn and rachel getting a dog, and it is literally just pure fluff. like all fluff. i am almost exclusively a fluff writer and i don't think i've ever written smth this fluffy. it's truly a masterpiece of fluff. I hope you enjoy fluffy dog fics, because that's this!
> 
> I do not own glee, its characters or its plotlines!

Rachel had always wanted a dog. She hadn’t gotten one during her childhood because she and her dads were very busy people, with schedules packed full, so a dog just wasn’t feasible. But still, she’d always wanted one. She pictured it as part of her future dream, a spouse, a family, a house, a tony, and to round everything out, a dog. It would be the perfect way to make her domestic dreams come true.

Being with Quinn wasn’t something she ever pictured as part of her future plans, but she’s updated them now, because Quinn made everything perfect. Quinn was her future. She was the perfect girlfriend, kind, smart, supportive, and oh so loving. Rachel knew she’d be with her forever, and she wanted to take that next step by expanding their family one step further. With a puppy, obviously. She just hoped Quinn would agree, it wasn’t like they’d ever discussed having a pet. If Quinn said no, it wouldn’t break their relationship or anything, but she’d be pretty upset, and she might have to break out her pout.

She waits until the perfect day to ask Quinn. They’re both home, Rachel has a day off from her show so Quinn’s taken a break from her novel, and they spent the day together just enjoying each other’s company. After dinner seems like the best time, when they’ve just settled down on the couch to watch a movie Quinn’s been wanting to see. “How do you feel about dogs?” Rachel asks, and she hopes the answer is positive. Rachel doesn’t really wanna be with a puppy hater.

“I like them,” Quinn says, turning to her, “why, though?”

That was a good start. “Well, I was thinking…” Rachel sighs, “we’re in a good place, we have a nice apartment, and we’re  _ so _ happy together, and I thought, you know what would make it better? Getting a dog.”

Quinn doesn’t say anything, so Rachel continues, “I’ve wanted to get a dog with the love of my life since I was a kid, and I just thought it would be something we could do together, expand our family, you know, practice for the future,” she finishes, folding her hands neatly in her lap and looking expectantly at Quinn.

Her girlfriend’s face splits into a huge smile. “Well when you put it that way,” she says, “how am I supposed to say no? I mean buttering a girl up with the reference to myself as the love of your life, and expanding our family, and practice for the future, you’re making it sound very appealing.”

“Oh yeah?” Rachel says.

“Mhm, I do think you may have convinced me,” Quinn says, leaning in to kiss Rachel.

“Have I?” Rachel says, kissing Quinn quick and waiting to make sure this conversation gets finished. 

“Yes, and I mean, it’s not just you,” Quinn says, “I’ve wanted a dog for a long time too. My mom always thought it’d get the house too messy or it wouldn’t behave, and that wouldn’t be good for our image. So getting a dog, with you, the love of my life, would be a dream.”

Rachel knows she and Quinn are on the same page about this being a forever kind of thing, but it never hurts to hear it from the source. It makes her stomach flip. She feels so lucky that this was the woman she gets to love forever. And she was going to get a puppy too! Pretty much the perfect situation for Rachel. “Great,” she says, kissing Quinn, “we can go to the shelter soon?”

Quinn just nods, leaning in to kiss her again, and Rachel can barely kiss her back, she’s smiling too wide.

///

They go to the shelter next Wednesday, and the smile never leaves Rachel’s face the entire time they’re there. She looks at all the adorable animals and her heart squeezes in her chest. She plays with almost every one, stopping and cooing at their tiny paws and their cute faces. “Rach, honey,” Quinn says, as Rachel stops to pet probably the seventh dog, “we’re not going to take home the whole shelter, you know that right?” 

Rachel whines, “We could.”

“Our apartment barely fits one dog,” she says, and Rachel knows she’s right, but really, how is she going to pick? They’re all so adorable. 

They spend a while looking at them all, and Rachel loves every single one, but she doesn’t feel the  _ pull _ she’d expected until she drags Quinn to a crate with a tiny little puppy in it. He’s so small it almost makes Rachel tear up, and he’s the cutest thing she’s ever seen. He’s brown and white in colour, and he just makes her heart seize in her chest. “He’s a french bulldog,” Quinn says, nodding to the tag that depicted the information they knew about him, “fashionable breed, good for small apartments and the New York lifestyle.”

He may be good for a New York lifestyle, but Rachel wasn’t sure he was good for her, because she’s about to have a heart attack from how adorable he is. “I love him,” Rachel says, with tears pooling in her eyes.

Rachel watches as Quinn crouches beside her, opening the crate and reaching her hand out for him to smell. “Hi buddy,” Quinn whispers as he licks at her hand. 

He seems to like her, and she pets him softly, and Rachel is certain they are the two beings on earth. She can’t believe she’s witnessing the cutest moment on earth. She should be capturing this on film. “You gonna pet him baby?” Quinn asks, not taking her eyes off the tiny french bulldog.

Rachel nods, sticking her hand out for the dog to smell, and once he seems happy and comfortable with her, she reaches out to give him a pat. He’s so soft, and he responds by curling right into her hand, and yep, she’s completely certain this dog is meant for her. “Quinn we need to take him home, now,” she says.

“Yeah, I think you’re right, he’s ours,” Quinn says, and that’s that.

They sign the papers, and they take him home, and Rachel’s so fucking happy.

///

They name him Marius, because  _ obviously.  _ He quickly becomes part of their family, part of their routine and Rachel adores him. She loves having the dog around the house, even during the most annoying parts of owning a dog. He pees in the house and Rachel hates him in the moment, but then she sees his adorable face and she can’t even be upset. He’s just too cute.

One of Rachel’s favourite things about him is he’s always up with her in the mornings. Quinn often sleeps very late, and so her mornings are spent by herself, but it doesn’t feel so lonely with Marius around. She talks to him, sings to him, dances with him. They go on morning walks together, enjoying the early morning air and watching as the city wakes up. It’s way more fun than her elliptical. 

The only problem with her dog, is he can’t seem to learn anything beyond his own name, sit and stay. Rachel was hopeful he’d be a blossoming actor, who she could take to auditions with if they needed a dog for a show. It turns out that probably won’t be the case, but Rachel tries her hardest anyways. She wants to teach Marius to lie down, it shouldn’t be too hard really, but he seems pretty stubborn. Quinn’s busy working on her novel, Rachel’s bored, and now seems like the best time to try.

“Okay Marius,” she says, giving him a good scratch on the ears, “time to learn lie down okay?”

He looks up at her with those soft brown eyes, head tilted to the side like he’s more than a little confused at what she’s saying. She nudges his nose, getting him to lie down, and then she repeats, “Lie down,” 

He looks at her again, and then stands up. It works for her, she needs to nudge him down again so that he’ll remember the position, and she says it again. She doesn’t know how long she’ll need to do this, but she’s committed to the long game. Her dog will lie down.

The words “lie down” become a bit of a broken record, the phrase “Marius, lie down,” probably the only thing Rachel says for at least two hours. Every time she tests it, he fails. She’s quickly losing patience. “Marius, please lie down,” Rachel says exasperatedly, and she can hear giggling in the background.

Rachel turns, and there at the coffee table, is her girlfriend, laughing her ass off at Rachel’s struggles. “Do you think this is funny?” she asks.

Quinn attempts to stop giggling, but Rachel can see on her face that it’s quite the hard task. “A bit,” Quinn says.

“How dare you? I’m trying to train our dog!” Rachel nearly shouts, and it’s a bit dramatized for sure, but she is also a little bit pissed at the giggles interrupting her hard work.

“I don’t think it’s working baby,” Quinn says.

“Well obviously not,” she huffs, coming to sit on the couch beside Quinn.

“Maybe you should give it a rest, sit and stay are perfectly fine commands for a dog Rach,” Quinn says, and Rachel thinks she might just be tired of hearing her try.

Quinn has a point though. She’s been trying for hours, and this is not the first time she’s tried. Marius might just be a lost cause. Rachel looks at her baby, who’s slowly padded over to the couch, and is now looking up at her with those sweet eyes. “You’re not going to learn mama’s trick are you?” she asks him, waiting a moment like he might respond, “you’re not gonna be an actor are you?”

He just looks up at her with that cute face and those big eyes and she just can’t even be mad. She scoops him up in her lap and scoots closer to Quinn. “That’s okay honey,” she says, scratching his belly, “mommy and I love you just the same.”

She holds the dog up to Quinn, and he immediately licks her, causing her to laugh more. “You love him right?” Rachel asks her.

“Of course I do,” she says, giving him a few pets, “I love you Marius,” she kisses his head, “and I love you, Rach.”

Rachel gets a kiss on the lips. It’s a great reward, even though she didn’t make that much progress. 

///

Rachel comes home on a Thursday night to the sweetest sight in the world. Quinn’s asleep on the couch, a book knocked on the floor, and on her chest, cradled protectively by her arm, is Marius. Rachel doesn’t think her heart can take it. They’re once again the cutest things in the whole wide world. Rachel feels like the luckiest woman in the world knowing she’s going to come home to a sight just like this one forever. It’s what seals the deal in her mind, letting her make her final decision. She’s going to ask Quinn to marry her. 

That’s something to leave till morning though, so she softly wakes Quinn, with a kiss to her forehead and a soft shake. “Baby,” she says, “wake up.”

Quinn wakes, a sleepy smile crossing her face when she sees Rachel. It makes Rachel’s heart flip in her chest. “Hi Rach,” she says, her voice husky from sleep, “how was your show?”

Rachel smiles right back at her, loving how even sleepy Quinn cares so much about the things important to her. “It was good,” she says, “I was great as always, now let’s go to bed okay?”

She scoops Marius off of Quinn’s chest, cuddling him against her, and makes room for Quinn to stand up. They walk to the bedroom together, and Quinn climbs right in. Rachel puts Marius right back on top of her. Quinn hums happily, her hand coming to rest on their dog, and her eyes slide closed again. “I love you,” she says, already succumbing to sleep.

“I love you too Quinn,” she says.

///

The plan Rachel has for the proposal is of course related to Marius. He’s their baby, a huge part of their life, and she wants him to be involved. She fastens the ring box to his collar, intending to have him come and bring it to her when she needs it. He would be her little helper, and Rachel thinks it would be a good starting point for discussions of making him the ring bearer. She thinks she can convince Quinn it’s a good idea.

Her plan today is to practice while Quinn’s at a meeting with her publisher, and then she’ll propose to Quinn on Saturday, after the perfect meal ordered in from her favourite restaurant. She gets down on one knee, recites the words she’s written, her speech about how much she loves Quinn nailed already, she was an actress after all, memorizing text was her job. Then she calls his name, and sure enough, he comes darting to her, and she thanks him, taking off the ring and holding it out to the fake Quinn she’s imagined for this plan. It works flawlessly the first time, but Rachel knows practice is necessary, so she fastens the ring to his collar again, and starts her speech. 

It’s then that she hears the door opening, way too early. Marius immediately darts to the door, barking a little as he goes. Rachel reaches for him, but he’s faster than she is, and Quinn’s already coming in the door, setting her bags down so she can greet him. “Hi Marius,” she says, crouching to talk to him, “hi buddy!”

She plays with him and Rachel slowly approaches, hoping she doesn’t notice the ring box, and she can take it off and have her perfect proposal on Saturday. No such luck, because as Quinn scratches at his ears, her brows furrow. “What’s this you got here?” she asks, pulling off the box.

Rachel’s heart nearly stops in her chest as Quinn examines it. Rachel walks to her as Quinn’s eyes raise to meet hers. “Is this…” she trails off, and Rachel takes in a deep sigh.

“Well this wasn’t how I planned it but you know now so,” she drops onto one knee, smiling at Quinn, taking the box from her. 

Rachel looks at Quinn, who stands, and suddenly the speech she’d known so well disappears from her mind. Her nerves get the better of her, and she just stares for a second, trying to come up with anything. “I love you,” she says, because it’s all her brain can come up with, “you are the best person I know, and I am so lucky to have you in my life. The years we’ve been together have been the best of my life. You’re the best dog mom in the world, and I think you’ll be the best human mom too, because you love with everything in you. I am so lucky to be loved by you, and I want to make it official that we’re going to love each other forever.”

She takes a breather, she’d just spoken a lot of words, and she’s proud of herself for coming up with them on the spot. “I want to be with you for the rest of my life, I want everything with you. So, I’m asking you, will you make me happier than I’ve ever been and let me call you my wife?”

Quinn’s hands cover her mouth, and tears are running down her cheeks. Rachel prays they’re happy ones. “Yes,” Quinn says, “yes.”

She says it again and again, and Rachel loves words and she loves music, but that one is her favourite one she’s ever heard. Quinn drops to her knees, pulling Rachel into her arms and giving her one long kiss. Rachel knows that it’s no different, really, being engaged, but the kiss feels that much better, because they’re going to get married, they’re going to be together forever. The woman she’s kissing is her  _ fiancée.  _

Rachel pulls away, just looking at Quinn, before cracking the ring box open and reaching for Quinn’s hand. “I’m sorry I ruined whatever plan you had by coming home early,” Quinn says, as Rachel slips the ring onto her finger.

“Totally okay,” Rachel says, “my fault for practicing with the dog when you could’ve come home at any moment. Besides, now I’m engaged to you sooner, and I think that’s a win.”

Quinn smiles so brightly, pressing a kiss to Rachel’s lips, and then turning to call Marius. “We’re getting married,” she says to the dog, like the words mean something to him, “your parents are getting married, are you happy for us, Marius?”

He smiles at them, wagging his tail, and it’s the perfect reaction. Rachel loves him  _ so  _ much, she’s so happy she got this dog, he’s the best addition to their family. “So, for the wedding, do you think Marius could be the ringbearer?” she asks.

Quinn just laughs. 


	19. day 19: formal wear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys, i'm back! i'm sorry i took a few days off, i had father's day celebrations and i just needed a breather. I hope this is is worth it, I will of course be finishing the challenge even if it takes thirty two days. Today i offer you family photos. Tomorrow who knows. 
> 
> I do not own Glee, its characters or its plotlines!

Rachel and Quinn have been dating for two and a half months when it happens. To Quinn, it feels like both no time at all and forever, it’s been that good. But she knows it’s definitely not long enough for what Rachel’s dads have apparently proposed. The Berrys have done family photos every year without fail, since the year Rachel was born, and this year, they want Quinn in the picture. They’re absolutely adamant about it. Quinn hasn’t even met them yet, and they want her to fly back to Lima to take their family pictures with them. When Rachel had approached her about it, she’d been shy, she’d assured her multiple times she didn’t have to do this if she didn’t want to, but when Quinn had asked, she’d blushed and said that she’d love Quinn to be in the pictures. So Quinn would be in the pictures. 

In fact, she was on her way to Lima with Rachel right now. She’s nervous to say the least, scared about meeting Rachel’s parents, scared about taking family pictures for a family she’s been part of for less than three months. A family she wants to be a part of for a long time of course, but a family she’s nonetheless scared of being removed from. Rachel and her were happy, blissfully so, but Quinn was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. She knows it isn’t really healthy, waiting for the bad things, but she thinks it’s just bound to happen. Things never work out this perfectly for Quinn, she didn’t really deserve it, and it wasn’t going to last. That was her fear, that they’d take these photos, Rachel would realize she wasn’t worth it, and dump her. Then their photos would be ruined, the year always a bad reminder to Rachel of a mistake she’d made. Quinn knows she wants Rachel for as long as possible, but in the event Rachel doesn’t feel the same way, she’s scared to throw herself into all this. But it seems she has little choice now, on a plane to Lima.

She tries desperately to put her fears aside, but as soon as she stops thinking about the pictures she starts thinking about meeting Rachel’s dads, because really that was the first scary prospect. They could not even like her, and then she wouldn’t be in the picture anyways, and worse, she might lose Rachel. Quinn knows Rachel’s dads are some of the most important people in her life and if they don’t like her, Quinn doesn’t know how she’ll react. It’s a scary possibility that something like that could happen with the most important relationship she’s had yet, but she knows she just has to make her best impression. Quinn was smart, college-educated (from an ivy league to boot!), she had a great job, she was supportive and kind and repentant in regards to all her past mistakes. Those were qualities she thought would appeal to Rachel’s dads, but honestly, she’s still scared. What if they bring up her and Rachel’s checkered past? What if they don’t want to forgive her as easily as Rachel did? She knows she’s being a little stupid, Rachel’s fathers were the ones to invite her, and they probably wouldn’t have if they didn’t have a good impression of her, but that doesn’t change the fact that she’s scared. She just doesn’t want this to go wrong. She hasn’t told Rachel yet, but she  _ loves  _ her, and she’s never wanted to get something right more than she does this.

They land, collecting their bags, renting a car, and making their way back home. Rachel’s dads had offered to pick them up, but Quinn had been scared of spending more than an hour in the car with them, it would be a very confined space, the feeling of trappedness only worsening her already prevalent anxiety. If she had fucked up in the car she might have felt the need to tuck and roll out onto the highway to escape, and that probably wasn’t safe. Rachel had understood her fears, was more than willing to accommodate, and told her dads they’d just meet them at the house. It had made Quinn love her that much more. She appreciates the respect Rachel has for her boundaries, it makes her heart warm in her chest. Just one more thing that makes Quinn know she wants this to last.

When they do finally arrive, Quinn’s nervousness peaks. Rachel’s about to get out of the car, but Quinn still hasn’t even undone her seatbelt, nervously rubbing the sweaty palms of her hands across her pants. “Baby?” Rachel says, her hands shifting from the door handle to reach for Quinn’s.

Quinn lets her take it, relishing in the comfort of the squeeze Rachel gives her. It does really ease a bit of her anxiety. “What’s up, Quinn?” Rachel asks, softly, almost like she knows exactly what’s bugging Quinn, but wants to hear her voice it.

She waits a moment, taking a deep breath in. It scares her a bit to voice her fears, like it might bring them to life, but she knows that’s ridiculous and Rachel wouldn’t judge her. “I’m just scared they won’t like me,” she whispers, almost unintelligible, but she knows Rachel hears her.

She doesn’t bother bringing up the pictures, she doesn’t wanna voice  _ those _ concerns, because she fears telling Rachel she worries it’ll end because of her own failings might cause Rachel to realize her failings, and she wasn’t going to let that happen. Rachel smiles at her, squeezing her hand again, and reaching across with her other hand to cup her face. “Honey, I promise they’ll love you,” she says, and she seems so sincere, “why wouldn’t they?”

Quinn fidgets a little, playing with their joint hands. “I don’t know,” Quinn says, “they know about me in the past don’t they?”

“Yes,” Rachel admits, “but they know you’ve grown, they have forgiven you, like I have baby, and they know you are a wonderful girlfriend to me now, I mean, I literally don’t shut up about it. I tell them every incredible thing about you, and that’s why they invited you to come, that’s why they want you to be in the pictures. They know, just like I do, that you lo— care very deeply for me.”   
  
Quinn hears her catch herself, wonders when they’ll be at the point she can say it, but appreciates her words all the same. It reassures her, warms her heart to know Rachel talks about her like that. “Thank you,” she says, and she leans in to kiss Rachel once before they go meet her dads.

///

Rachel’s right. Her dads  _ love  _ Quinn. They ask her all sorts of questions about herself, in a nice non-interrogationy way, making her feel like they actually care about her. They make her food Rachel had told them she liked, they tell her that they can’t wait to read her book when she gets it done. Quinn honestly feels more comfortable around them than she has around her own mother in years, if ever. It amazes her. They don’t even bring up their past, and it really makes Quinn feel so happy. She’s worked so hard to be a better person, to be a person worthy of Rachel, and a part of her finally believes she is.

But that part of her is not leading the charges the very next day before pictures. The part that’s winning over right now, is her anxious brain. She’s scared, she doesn’t want to ruin the pictures. She knows it’s not really her place to be worried, all the Berrys want her in the pictures, so if they regret it in the future it’s their fault, but she wants so badly for them to never regret it, that the anxiety of that is just bleeding over. She’s just nervous, to say the least. 

They’re at the photography studio now, and all Quinn can do to stop her unnecessary spiral is focus on Rachel. Her girlfriend looks beautiful, as always, Quinn swears her heart nearly stopped in her chest when she saw her. The dress she picked for the pictures suited her extremely well, and Quinn had told her when she saw it. Now, she watches while Rachel talks to LeRoy, the both of them relaying their  _ vision _ to the photographer. Quinn wonders how much “vision” one can have for a family photo, but if anyone had a vision, it would be Rachel. Hiram approaches her from behind, a smile on her face. “She’s something, isn’t she?” he says, and Quinn just nods.

Rachel isn’t just something to Quinn, she’s honestly and truly everything, but she doesn’t know how to put that into words, so she just nods. They don’t say anything for a moment, but Quinn gets to thinking. She remembers something she was going to ask the Berrys, just to ease her mind. “Do you… uh, think you guys could do a few without me?” she asks.

Hiram looks at her, one eyebrow raising. “Why?” he asks, and he seems genuine, like he couldn’t fathom why.

Well, Quinn doesn’t really know how to answer that. She doesn’t want to tell Hiram that she’s scared Rachel will leave her, she doesn’t want to seem that pathetic at all. “You love her don’t you?” he asks.

She nods. “You’re not going to break up with her are you?” 

Her eyes widen. “No!” she nearly shouts, before composing herself, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Hiram smiles at her, a happy, smug smile. “I figured. No need to worry then, you will be in all the pictures,” he says.

It doesn’t ease Quinn’s worrying.

Rachel calls them over, a big smile on her face, and Quinn tries to mimic it. It’s not that hard, given that Rachel just makes her feel that happy, but it is harder than usual. Rachel directs them to chairs, Rachel’s dads behind them, raised a bit higher to create levels in the photo. Rachel and Quinn’s chairs have no space between them, there’s no denying they’re a couple, not that Quinn would ever want to. Rachel grabs her hand, pulls it closer to her, and then the first picture is snapped. She knows it’s a bit stilted, she can see it in the way the photographer scrunches her nose at the camera. She tries to loosen up a bit, but it takes four photos and a joke from Hiram before she does. The last few are good, she feels it, and she finds she can’t wait to see them.

They don’t take any photos without Quinn, and it scares the hell out of her, but she doesn’t say anything.

Her and Rachel get the pictures three weeks later, and Quinn can’t believe how much she loves them. Just seeing her there, looking like Rachel’s girlfriend, like part of the family makes her heart so warm.

There’s one that was clearly taken when Quinn wasn’t looking, when she wasn’t ready, and she looks at Rachel with the most loving look in the world. Quinn loves it so much she frames it and puts it in office. She never looks back, looking forward to family pictures next year too.

///

Three years and three sets of pictures later, Quinn’s standing in the Berry living room, looking at a plethora of family photos, that span from a tiny baby Rachel all the way to the one they took last year. It makes Quinn smile a lot, to be a part of a happy family like this. She hasn’t had to force a smile in any of the pictures since the nervousness of the very first ones. What excites her even more is her plan to make them being family official, if everything goes well this weekend.

Hiram enters from the kitchen, watching Quinn happily. “We’re a pretty good looking family, huh?”

Quinn laughs, “Yes I think we are,” she loves the way she says we without hesitation, a lot has changed these last few years. 

“Do you remember how nervous you were for those first pictures?” he asks, Quinn nods, she probably will never forget, “now it’s a piece of cake.”

“They’re nice to have,” Quinn says, “my office is full of them. Everyone tells me they’re lovely.”

“Mine is too,” he says, “Russell doesn’t like them much.”

Quinn laughs harder at that. “Not surprising,” she says, she always finds it funny that Hiram works with her father.

She also loves how he always defends her. She loves how he’s proud to be her father figure, in a room with her own father who wouldn’t step up. It’s truly exhilarating to be loved like that. She’s so lucky she has Rachel, that being with the most wonderful woman in the world gave her this. “Uh, I wanted to ask you something,” she says, thinking this was the best moment for what would be the second most important question she’d ever ask.

He urges her on, that comforting smile doing its job. “I really want to be in these family pictures forever,” she says, “that is if you, and Rachel in specific, will have me.”

“We love you Quinn,” Hiram affirms.

Quinn grins, looking at her feet. “I know, and I love you too, which is why I wanted to ask Rachel to marry me,” she says, “and so, I know it might be a bit old fashioned, but I care deeply about your opinion, and I don’t think the last person to get engaged to Rachel asked, so I wanted to get your permission before I do. I was wondering if it would be okay if I asked for your daughter’s hand in marriage?”

Hiram pulls her straight into a hug, wrapping his arms tight around her. He holds her like that for a moment, before pulling away, the biggest most excited smile on his face. “Yes Quinn, of course. You’re a part of this family, and no one else would ever be more perfect for Rachel. I give you my blessing for you to ask Rachel to marry you,” he says, and the words send pure joy through Quinn, “ in fact if you don’t ask her soon I might get mad, I’m getting old you know, I’d like a wedding and grandkids before I’m ancient.”

A blush rises to Quinn’s cheeks, but she can’t deny she wants those things too, so badly. “Not too long, I promise.”

Hiram hums, “Good to hear it. You still have to ask LeRoy though, he’s a wildcard you know,” he teases.

Quinn just laughs. She’s so happy to have these people in her life. She’s hoping Rachel will be just excited about her proposal. 


	20. day 20: dancing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello today i present you with another vignettes piece, this time it's three times Quinn and Rachel dance together. There's no real progression, if i'm being honest, it's just three short moments all about dancing. Because they're in love and they want to dance together. I hope it's to your liking.
> 
> I don't own glee, its plotlines or characters, and I also do not own any of the songs mentioned.

The apartment was theirs. Rachel and Quinn lived together now, Quinn lives with her girlfriend, the woman she loves, and she can’t deny how happy it makes her. There’s a warm feeling throughout her whole body that makes her feel like she could float up, up and away, because she loves Rachel so much, and getting to live with her is honestly a dream come true. She’s so happy to wake up at Rachel’s side everyday, come home to her after work with soft kisses and tales of her silly coworkers, cook her dinner, and fall asleep with her in her arms. The domesticity of it all makes her heart sing. 

Quinn didn’t think unpacking their kitchen could be fun, but Rachel’s phone is playing music, and they’re laughing and singing, dancing around the room as they put pots and pans away. For a moment, Quinn just pauses, the cabinets still open as Rachel dances around singing Honey, Honey from Mamma Mia. She basks in the beauty of her girlfriend, the love she feels for her, and she can barely breathe from just how overwhelming the feeling is. The song ends, and Quinn’s snapped out of her moment, but she smiles as she recognizes the next one. It’s one that reminds her of their checkered past, but listening to it now, she feels nothing but love for Rachel. She crosses the floor, taking Rachel’s hand as she sets the plates into the cabinet. “Dance with me,” she says, as she sways to the opening notes of Paramore’s The Only Exception.

Rachel’s smile widens, a soft loving look crossing her face. “Gladly,” she says, turning to face Quinn, tangling her hands around her neck as Quinn sets hers on Rachel’s waist.

They dance in silence for a moment, just the soft sounds of the music and their feet on the tile, but silence never lasts long with Rachel. “This one dredges up old memories doesn’t it?” she says, her voice coloured with amusement.

“It certainly does,” Quinn agrees, “I’m glad you’re not singing it to Finn now, that hurt more than I’m willing to admit.”

Rachel’s face falls a little, filled with heartache, but it quickly shifts back into a sweet smile as her hands play with the blonde hair at Quinn’s neck. “I’m glad I’m not singing it to him too,” she says, “I got that one wrong, you know? You’re the only exception. He was just a blip on the radar that wouldn’t last.”

Quinn can’t help but lean in to kiss her. The rest of the song is spent kissing and swaying the slightest bit to the music. They don’t get much unpacking done.

///

Quinn has never been so proud of Rachel. She just finished her opening night as Elphaba in Wicked, and she was fucking incredible. Quinn knows it’s a dream role of hers, and she bets Rachel’s on an indescribable high. She can’t wait to see her, running backstage almost as soon as they walk off the stage after their bows.

She enters Rachel’s dressing room with express permission from the stagehands who recognize her, she’d been here for a few rehearsals and previews as well. The shower is running, and she knows Rachel’s washing off the excess of green paint. She waits as patiently as she can, just wanting to wax Rachel’s praises, pull her into her arms and kiss her. 

After what feels like ages, Rachel exits, wearing the outfit she clearly picked out for the bar trip the whole cast has planned, to celebrate the amazing show, and her already huge smile widens when she spots Quinn. “Hi baby,” Quinn says, opening her arms for Rachel to jump into, “you were fantastic.”

Rachel squeals, running and practically jumping like Quinn had suspected into her open arms. Quinn catches her, holding her off the ground and spinning her as she does. She holds tight, trying to convey all the love she feels in the soft caress of her arms. When she puts Rachel down, she presses a soft kiss to her lips and then, “You were incredible, radiant, perfect. Idina Menzel has nothing on you Rach,” she says, and she means it.

Feigning humility, Rachel shakes her head, “No one could do it better than her.”

“Well you just did,” Quinn says, leaning in for another kiss when she’s interrupted by Rachel’s Glinda, Emily, peeking her head into her dressing room.

“Hey Rach, we’re headed out to the bar, are you coming?” she asks.

Rachel turns to her, a happy smile on her face. “Yeah, in a minute, I just have something I want to do first.”

Emily nods, leaving, and Rachel turns her attention back to Quinn. “C’mon,” she says, taking Quinn’s hand in her own, and dragging her out of the room.

Quinn follows her, she’d follow Rachel anywhere, right onto the stage. She’s not sure what they’re doing there, but she trusts Rachel, so she just looks at her expectantly. Rachel loops her arms around Quinn’s neck, easing the two of them closer. Quinn’s hands immediately find Rachel’s waist. “I just wanted to be out here with you,” Rachel says, “my two loves.”

Quinn beams at her. Anyone else might feel smited by sharing Rachel’s heart, but Quinn is more than happy to share it with the stage. There’s nothing like seeing Rachel out there. Every time Quinn sees her on the stage, she swears her heart stops beating in her chest. “I thought we could dance,” Rachel continues, beginning to sway.

She does as she’s told, and Rachel quickly remedies the lack of music. She sings As Long As You’re Mine, and it barely seems possible given how incredible she was, but to Quinn, this is even better than the performance during the show. She loves that this is just for her, and she never gets tired of Rachel singing her love songs. 

Rachel sings the whole song as they dance in the darkness of the stage, Quinn appreciates every word. Quinn isn’t sure she’s ever felt so loved, and loved so much in return.

///

Quinn has danced with Rachel probably an infinite amount of time in the years they’ve known each other, but this is without a doubt her favourite, and it might never be topped. She isn’t sure how any other could top their first dance as  _ wives.  _

They’ve been married only a few hours, but Quinn has felt on top of the world for all of them. She was married to Rachel, Rachel was her wife, and everything about that made her feel happier than she’d ever been. Nothing could bring her down now, as she looks at her wife while they dance. Rachel looks beautiful, her hair curled beautifully, her dress hugging all the right curves and a certain shimmer in her eyes that just wouldn’t dim. Quinn’s still in awe that this woman was her wife, but the dance they were sharing right now definitely indicated that she was.

The song for their first dance was subject to some debate, Rachel had a long list of applicable songs, but they’d narrowed it down to Your Song by Elton John, and Quinn thinks it’s the perfect choice. It’s beautifully romantic, encompassing their feelings for each other and their shared love of music. Rachel sings the song under her breath, her eyes never leaving Quinn’s. Her heart feels like it could beat right out of her chest, there’s so much love in this moment. She can’t bear to keep it in. “I love you,” she says, “I can’t believe how lucky I am that you married me.”

Rachel smiles, and the love in her eyes is so apparent, it makes it almost hard to breathe. “I love you too,” Rachel says, “and I feel pretty lucky myself.”

Hearing that Rachel feels the same, that they’re on the same page, even though she already knows, always makes Quinn feel loved, and tonight is no exception. They dance the night away, with laughter and love and tears (happy ones of course). It reminds Quinn of all the love she feels, and how happy she is she’s the one who gets to dance with Rachel forever. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs:  
> The Only Exception by Paramore  
> As Long As You're Mine from Wicked  
> Your Song by Elton John  
> I don't own these songs!


	21. day 21: cooking/baking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey folks, it's me i'm back, technically this is late but i just want yall to pretend its not okay!!! thank you! this is baking and cooking and it's really stupid but i hope you like it!!! 
> 
> I do not own Glee, its characters, its plotlines or the show Cake Wars. Waylynn if you're reading this i'm sorry

Quinn loves to bake. It’s a passion of hers, along with reading and writing and loving her wife. She makes cakes, pastries, cookies, brownies, whatever recipes she can get her hands on. It’s a leftover talent from her housewife training as a child in the Fabray household, but it’s the only part but she actually enjoyed. Rachel enjoys her baking too, so there’s not really a downside to her little hobby. 

One of the traits that comes along with such a passion for Quinn, is the love of baking shows. She watches everything she can, watching the weekly competitions like her life depends on it, and other shows throughout her free time. It’s there that she learns about the casting for a special episode of vegan Cake Wars. 

Vegan of course, was the type of baking she always did, to fit her wife’s dietary restriction, and she thinks she’s gotten pretty good at it. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to cross an awesome thing off her bucket list, so she applies.

And she gets accepted! They want her on the show and she couldn’t be more excited. She can’t wait to tell Rachel, who watches the shows right along with her. “Rachel,” Quinn says, nudging her wife who’s tucked into her side as she reads the email that states her confirmation, “I’ve got big news.”

“Oh, that reminds me, I have something to tell you too,” Rachel says, turning to look at Quinn, “but you first.”

“Sam and I are going to be on Cake Wars,” Quinn states proudly, “there’s a special vegan episode and they picked me to be on it!”

Rachel’s eyes widen. “You’re going on the vegan special of Cake Wars?”

Quinn nods happily, “Yeah I applied a while ago, I didn’t think they’d pick me so I didn’t even mention it, but they did and I’m so excited!”

“Quinn,” Rachel says, sounding seemingly serious, too serious for Quinn’s happy news.

“What?”

“I’m going on the vegan episode of Cake Wars,” she says, “I was asked to be the guest judge.”

“What?” Quinn repeats.

“I’m going on the vegan episode of Cake Wars,” Rachel says, “I was going to surprise you. Bring you to the set with me. But I guess there goes that plan.”

Quinn sits with that news for a second. How could she and her wife be on the same episode of Cake Wars, on opposite sides of the judging table? Isn’t that a conflict of interest? “Do they know we’re married?” Quinn asks.

“Well, it’s not like we’re hiding it, Quinn, but my stage name is still Berry, so perhaps they didn’t make the connection,” Rachel says.

“I guess,” Quinn says, “I think I have an advantage though.”   
  
“Excuse me Mrs. Fabray, you will not be able to use our marriage as a means to win the competition,” Rachel says, “I am an honest and impartial judge.”

“Mhm, you won’t be impartial when I make you sleep on the couch for a month if I lose, Mrs. Fabray,” Quinn counters.

Rachel rolls her eyes. “You wouldn’t.”

“I would.”

Rachel raises her eyebrows, “You better bring your A game then,” she states.

“Oh I’m bringing it.”

///

Two months later, they’re in Los Angeles to film Cake Wars, and no one even realizes they’re married until Quinn films her bio. “Hi, I’m Quinn Fabray, I’m here with my incompetent partner Sam and I’m a hobby baker from New York City,” she says, “my main job is writing, but baking for me and my wife, broadway star Rachel Ber—”

“Cut,” The director calls, “did you just say your wife is Rachel Berry? Like today’s celebrity judge Rachel Berry?”

Quinn nods, “The one and only.”   
  
“And you didn’t think to tell us about this conflict of interest?” 

“Didn’t think it was important,” Quinn says, “both she and I are incredibly professional.”

The director drops his head in his hands, closing his eyes and taking in a big sigh. “Fine, it’s not like we have time to cast anyone else.”

Then he instructs her to continue, so she does as she’s told.

///

They introduce the competition, three other sets of bakers who Quinn can’t wait to beat, and the judges, her wife, Richard Ruskell, and Waylynn Lucas. Quinn’s just ready to get this show on the road, she doesn’t need the intros to any of these people, she’s seen the show, and she definitely knows Rachel Berry. Quinn winks at Rachel, and her wife smiles right back at her, and then Jonathan is explaining the challenge. They have to make a cake in the shape of a vegetable, and use the vegetable in it as well. Quinn decides on carrot cake, because it’s simple enough, tastes delicious and will make for an adorable little cake, and she sets to work. 

She delegates Sam to making almond cream cheese icing (vegan of course), and gets to baking. She knows Rachel loves this recipe, Quinn made it for their anniversary in May, and Rachel had sworn it was the best thing she’d ever eaten. Quinn was going to use that to her advantage, she doesn’t even care. She just wants to win.

Problem is Sam spills all the icing on the floor halfway through their time, so he has to make more, and they struggle to have enough time. It stresses Quinn the hell out, almost hindering her progress on making the cake look perfect, but thankfully, one of them is competent, and she can easily airbrush even lines on orange icing and build accurate leaves. When it’s complete, Quinn is pretty proud of herself. The icing tastes great, and she knows the flavours will compliment each other well, and that Rachel will love it. She has this competition in the bag.

They present their final product to the judges (well Quinn does, Sam was banished back to the kitchen for poor work) with a happy smile. “This is a carrot cake with vegan almond cream cheese icing,” she says, gesturing to her cake, “decorated to perfection as a carrot, with no help from my assistant.”

Rachel is the only judge who laughs at that comment, probably because she knows it’s good natured. Waylynn just looks at Quinn disapprovingly as she bites into her cake. Quinn resists the urge to roll her eyes at her, she wasn’t the biggest Waylynn fan in the world. 

She listens to the judges’ criticisms, but really turns her attention to Rachel, like always. She can’t wait for her wife to sing her praises. Rachel hums as she eats the cake, and looks at Quinn with a raised eyebrow. “It’s a bit dry,” she says, taking another bite.

Quinn tries not to let the surprise show on her face. She knows it wasn’t dry, she’s baked it a million times before, and Rachel’s always loved it, what was her deal? “The flavours are all there, but I think you perhaps used too much flour,” Rachel says, like she was some expert in baking! Quinn knows for a fact she only knows how to make “I’m sorry cookies”!

“Thank you Quinn,” Waylynn says, and Quinn turns, not even being able to look at her wife right now.

Rachel wasn’t joking when she said she would be impartial. 

///

“Okay Sam,” she says as they begin the second round, barely scraping by by the skin of their teeth it seems, “we have to do better this time.”

“Quinn, all you let me do is mix icing, they didn’t complain about the icing,” he says, and Quinn can’t deny that’s true. Maybe she should let him take more responsibility. On second thought, no. Quinn remembers what the cake Sam and Rachel had made her for her birthday had tasted like, and while she appreciated the gesture, that wasn’t going to win her ten thousand dollars. It was not a good cake.

“Rachel complained about it being dry,” Quinn mutters, as she looks at the drawing of her cake.

She was going to make a red velvet cake with a white chocolate buttercream icing, and she was going to make it in the shape of a large basket of vegetables. It was a flawless plan, if executed properly. The only thing that could hold her back was dryness apparently. She knew how to perfect this cake, and she knew Rachel liked it (she had demanded Quinn make it for her birthday) so she figured it’d work. She’d win, beat the other two bakers, take the trophy home and prove to Rachel she did bring her best work. 

Sam gets started on the icing, colouring it like different vegetables, and Quinn gets to baking. She measures everything perfectly, sets the oven to the right temperature and cooks the cake for just the right amount. She knows it’s going to be her best cake ever, without a doubt in her mind. She had the other competitors beat.

Her and Sam bake for the full time, perfecting the cake, rolling fondant and icing cakes so they look just like vegetables. She even uses rice crispy treats to make the perfect handle for her basket and when it’s done, she’s incredibly proud of her work. Quinn’s cake is massive, and it looks just like a giant basket of vegetables. She’s trying not to be arrogant, but she knows she has this in the bag. 

Quinn takes the cake to the judges, watching proudly as they admire her work. “It looks lovely,” Waylynn says, and Quinn doesn’t really care all that much about her opinion, she knows it looks good, “you nailed the colours. It’s very vibrant.”

She nods, cutting pieces of her cake to offer the judges. Quinn hands them to them, patiently waiting with watchful eyes as they take their first bites. They seem to like it, so she smiles cockily and waits for their opinions. “This is a masterful red velvet, you can barely tell it’s vegan,” Richard says, and Quinn knows that, she prides herself on being able to hide when things are vegan so she can get them past Santana.

She barely listens to Waylynn, fixing her attention to Rachel. She knows her wife loves this cake, she knows it’s a hit. She’s so glad she has the winning advantage. 

Rachel looks at the cake inquisitively, and then back up to Quinn. “The flavours aren’t very complex,” she says, and Quinn’s jaw nearly drops. It takes everything in her not to have a physical reaction to Rachel’s words.

“I think you could’ve created a more interesting flavour profile,” she says, but Quinn doesn’t miss the way she takes another bite of the cake.

Rachel likes it, and she’s being fucking slighted, because the flavour profile is “boring” or something. That’s not what she said when she begged Quinn to make it. “Thank you,” Quinn chokes out, leaving the judging table to join Sam in their kitchen.

“She’s lying through her teeth out there,” Quinn says to Sam, “my own wife.”

“Well, she never said she didn’t like it,” Sam argues.

Quinn groans. “I can’t believe her,” she mutters, shaking her head, she sure as hell isn’t going to make  _ anything _ for Rachel’s birthday this year. 

///

Quinn loses. To a baker from Mississippi named Betty, who made a coconut cake that Waylynn said was absolutely divine. Quinn hates Waylynn’s stupid opinion, and right now she’s pretty mad at Rachel too. How could her wife do this to her? Rachel probably vouched for Betty. Rachel probably  _ loved  _ Betty’s coconut cake. Quinn might just hire her to make it for Rachel’s birthday next year. She obviously didn’t like Quinn’s. 

As soon as they’re in the car, Quinn looks to Rachel. “You think I could’ve created a more interesting flavour profile?”

“Well…” Rachel pauses, like she’s ashamed, Quinn thinks she should be, “you could’ve.”

“You love that cake!” Quinn argues.

“I do, it’s easily one of the best things I’ve ever eaten, and I would love to have it on my birthday again,” Rachel says.

“No, you can get Betty to bake for you on your birthday, because clearly she bakes more complex flavours for you,” Quinn says crossing her arms petulantly.

“Oh please, complex doesn’t mean better. Her cake tasted like ass, Waylynn insisted it was good,” Rachel says.

“You still didn’t fight enough for me to win!” Quinn whines. 

“Well I said my true opinion, even if I did try to sound more professional on TV,” she says, blushing a little.

“Rachel, are you saying you insulted my cake so that you could sound like an intellectual on TV?”

“I may have,” she says, not confirming or denying.

“Oh my god, you are ridiculous,” Quinn says.

“I might be, but I know you love me,” Rachel says.

“I do not,”

“Don’t even joke Quinn Fabray,” Rachel says, frowning.

“I’m not joking, how could I love someone who doesn’t think I bake complex flavours?” Quinn says, a slight teasing smile on her face. 

Rachel pouts. “I am your wife.”

“Hmmm, maybe I should divorce you,” Quinn teases.

Rachel gasps aloud. “Quinn!” she shouts.

“What?” Quinn laughs.

“Do not joke about divorcing me,” she says, crossing her arms, the pout strengthening.

Quinn smiles widely, already over losing the cake competition. Her wife was too adorable, she couldn’t be mad, even over ten thousand dollars and winning the competition of her dreams. Rachel is a million times more important anyways. She reaches for Rachel’s hand, pulling it into her own. “I would never divorce you baby,” Quinn says, “you’re stuck with me and my simple flavours forever.”

Rachel raises their hands, pressing a kiss to the back of Quinn’s, and looking at her with a sweet smile. “I am so okay with that,” she says, “especially if you make your simple cake for my birthday again.”

Quinn laughs. “I love you, I’ll make whatever you want for your birthday, even if you don’t stand up for me to Waylynn.”

“I did my best I promise,” Rachel says, “she has a lot of sway on the judge table.”

“Oh of course,” Quinn nods.

“I love you too by the way, and your cake was delicious you know?” Rachel says, a cheeky smile on her face.

Quinn rolls her eyes. “I know.”


	22. day 22: competition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! i played around a bit with the universe in which this takes place, so just pretend skank quinn lasted more than two episodes and that she joins the trouble tones and that people were there for the candyman performance and that they would be backstage together, i just need you to suspend reality for a moment, for just this fic, because i wrote it and i said so. i think it's worth it!! i hope you enjoy rachel being a gay mess. also, i don't know how the trouble tones didn't win sectionals so here's my fix it fic lmao!
> 
> I do not own Glee, its characters, its plotlines or any of the songs mentioned.

Rachel can’t deny she’s seriously attracted to Quinn in her current form. She was of course attracted to Quinn as a blonde as well, but something about the pink hair and edgy style has butterflies flying in her stomach and a blush rising to her cheeks. It’s hot, she can’t deny it at all.

Of course, that means virtually nothing in the grand scheme of things, given that her and Quinn don’t really talk. Rachel just watches her, appreciating the view, and worrying about her wellbeing. She wants to be friends with Quinn, she wants to be around her all the time, that’s why she asks her to join the glee club again, she wants to  _ help _ Quinn, in the only way she knows how, through music.

Quinn doesn’t accept her offer though, not maliciously Rachel’s sure, but nonetheless it hurts. She would’ve loved to have Quinn back. She wonders if she’d sing punk songs. It wasn’t really Rachel’s type of music, but she thinks it definitely would’ve been seriously enticing.

Then, the Glee club begins to shatter, some of their strongest members joining the Troubletones, and Rachel can feel her confidence being shaken. Rachel knew she was talented, but she didn’t think they’d stay afloat if they had to compete with the likes of Mercedes, Santana and Brittany all on one team. It scares her, and it hurts even more when suddenly, Quinn wants to be a part of a Glee club, it’s just not hers. Quinn wants to be a Troubletone.

Rachel really can’t lie and say she’s not hurt, because she is, extremely. She knows Quinn is friends with Mercedes, Brittany and Santana, and they’re not really friends, but she still wishes Quinn would’ve come back. She would’ve done anything to see Quinn in the choir room again. She wants her there, she wants to be around Quinn. Rachel liked Quinn a lot, in more ways than one, and it just sucks. She didn’t want them to be in competition.

That being said, getting to see Quinn perform again, with a mop of pink hair tucked into a sailor’s cap as she sings Candyman, is quite something. Rachel has always known that a good performance is the most alluring quality to her, but watching Quinn, it was certainly confirmed. It made her glad to see Quinn in any Glee Club, if she was going to see Quinn singing like that. 

Sure she wasn’t the lead, but she stood at Mercedes’s side, and her tremulous alto could be heard loud and clear as she nailed the dance moves, and it was more than Mr. Schue had let her do, minus their sectionals performance junior year. Rachel supposes it’s better than nothing, wonders if she can sneak into Troubletones practices to watch without them calling her a spy, because that was simply not her intention at all. She just wanted to see Quinn, because the crush she had on her was growing deeper. 

By the time sectionals roll around, Rachel hasn’t seen Quinn perform since the Mash Off (she’d looked so good in that black dress, the pink hair and pale skin a beautiful contrast), and she was desperate to see it again. She’d made progress on the talking to Quinn front, and she’d even consider them friends now. They’d talked during the Mash Off, and during Lady Music week, and Rachel had swooned when Quinn wrapped her arm around Rachel during their performance of I Kissed A Girl. She could barely believe that had happened. It was easily the greatest thing ever though, she had loved the feeling of Quinn’s arms around her for the brief moment it had happened, and she’d do anything to have it happen again. That’s how big Rachel’s crush had grown. Quinn was pretty much all she thought about, even on competition day.

Rachel’s not nervous about sectionals, no she knows her solos well, she is confident in her performance. What she’s nervous for, is seeing Quinn, before they compete. She still hasn’t shaken the butterflies or the nerves that flare in her veins when she speaks to Quinn, so unlike performing, it has her a bit on edge. She doesn’t know what she’ll say, she doesn’t know what Quinn will say. She knows all conversations are in the moment, but this is one she’s been attempting to work out in her head for the last week. She hasn’t made much progress.

When she sees Quinn backstage, she takes a deep breath, admiring the admittedly gorgeous view. The shimmery dress does wonders for her great figure and Rachel loves the shock of pink, even as it fades to blonde. It looks  _ so  _ good on her, she wonders if Quinn will let it fade all the way back, or if she’ll dye it pink again, or perhaps another colour. The possibilities almost have Rachel hanging off the edge of her seat. “Rachel,” Quinn calls, snapping her out of her trance.

“Oh! Hi Quinn,” she says, a grin sliding onto her face, trying to compose herself for a conversation with her crush.

Quinn smiles that pretty smile at her, seemingly amused. “Hi,” she responds, “are you ready for the competition?”

Rachel hums, “Of course Quinn, I am prepared thoroughly for every performance, it is one of the constant facets of my personality. I am practiced and ready at any time.”

“I know, and I love that about you,” Quinn says, sending shivers through Rachel, Quinn loved something about her, “but we definitely have you beat.”

Rachel scoffs. “Please, the New Directions are veterans at winning competitions,” she says, even though she’s not sure she believes it. 

“Yeah, when you had Mercedes and Santana, and Brittany’s dancing,” Quinn argues.

Rachel doesn’t like how Quinn sells herself short, she was a member of the team, a winning member at that. Her solo with Sam at last year’s sectionals was without a doubt an important part of their victory. She ignores that though, continuing their charged banter. “We still have some very strong male singers as well as Tina, and myself,” she says.

“Rachel, you can’t win a show choir competition by yourself, no matter how wonderfully talented you are,” she says.

Rachel can’t help but bask in the compliment. Quinn was really feeding into her ego. “I think if anyone could it would be me,” she says, she’s not failing in confidence in her singing ability.

“Well, if you’re so sure about it,” Quinn says, her smile falling into an arrogant smirk, “how about we make it interesting?”

Was Quinn suggesting they bet money on their show choir competition? Rachel wasn’t sure that was legal, nor was she sure she wanted to participate in such a gamble. She hadn’t realized Quinn’s new bad girl attitude had reached this level. But, she wasn’t going to outrightly say no to the girl she had a massive crush on, so, “What do you wager?”

A blush colours Quinn’s cheeks like she didn’t think she’d get this far, and is a bit embarrassed. It’s easily the most endearing thing Rachel has ever seen. “If I win,” she says, her voice low, “you kiss me.”

Rachel’s eyes widen, there was no way she heard that right. Quinn did not just say if they win Rachel has to kiss her. Except, it seems she did. And Rachel has yet to respond. “Deal,” she nearly shouts, more than excited for this bet. She isn’t even sure she wants the New Directions to win anymore. 

“Great, you’re on Berry,” Quinn says, just as the stagehand tells the Troubletones they’re on in thirty seconds.

“Break a leg,” Rachel says.

Quinn nods, pressing a kiss to Rachel’s cheek, and running off onto the stage.

Rachel can barely breathe, there is no way that just happened. She presses a hand to her cheek, where she can still feel the heat of Quinn’s lips, and watches as the Troubletones begin their performance. She realizes that she never offered up a prize if she wins the bet, but it doesn’t seem that important as she watches Quinn, Brittany, Santana, Mercedes, Sugar, and the Cheerios glide across the stage singing Destiny’s Child and Gloria Gaynor. 

They’re flawless. They kill it. That’s the only way Rachel can describe it. They’re practiced, talented, a picture of everything a show choir should be. Mercedes hits every perfect note, Santana’s voice complimenting perfectly. The choreography looks like it wasn’t made up forty minutes before the show like every single New Directions number and Rachel can’t believe it. Her eyes have trouble leaving Quinn, but she knows the whole thing is perfect. Rachel wasn’t going to be upset if they lost, but now she’s sure they are going to lose. No wonder Quinn had wanted to wager something, she knew she’d win. She really must want to kiss Rachel. That thought made Rachel’s stomach flip. She couldn’t believe it.

But she doesn’t get time to mull over that insane truth, because she has to go onstage in moments, and perform a number she no longer holds confidence in. She knows her solos are good, but the rest of the number will fall short. Rachel finds she doesn’t even care, not when she has that incentive. Of course she’s Rachel Berry, so she still puts her everything into it, but she knows there’s no point.

They finish their number, and she’s satisfied, against any other group they might’ve won, but not against them. Standing on the stage holding Tina’s hand as the announcer announces the winners, she is surprisingly okay with losing. The Unitards place third (in your face Harmony), and it’s down to just the New Directions and the Troubletones. “And the winner of the 2011 sectionals competition is…” the announcer pauses dramatically, “from William McKinley High School, the Troubletones!”

The Troubletones lose it, immediately bursting into cheers, and Rachel can’t help but squeal in delight. She’s excited for them, and not really all that upset about losing, because really, she was about to win something way better than any show choir competition. A kiss from Quinn was something she’d never expected in her wildest dreams, and yet here she was, about to get it. Quinn meets her eyes from across the stage, instantly crossing over to her. The smile on Quinn’s face is absolutely wicked, and Rachel knows hers mirrors it. “Well,” Quinn says, crossing her arms, “we won.”   
  
“That you did,” Rachel says.

“I believe,” Quinn says, drawing out the word, “we had a little bet, in the event that I won.”

Rachel saunters that much closer to Quinn, until there’s almost no space between them and she has to look up to meet Quinn’s eyes, “If I remember correctly, we did.”

“Well, are you going to follow through?” Quinn asks cheekily.

“I am a gentlewoman Quinn, I always do,” Rachel says, teasing right back.

“Then do it Rachel,” Quinn says, her voice soft, low again in a way that drives Rachel a bit mad, “kiss me.”

Rachel would literally never reject a demand like that, so she presses her lips to Quinn’s, out there in front of everyone, reminding her a bit of a certain kiss at Nationals a year before. This kiss though, was more than wanted, and wasn’t going to guarantee their loss. No this kiss was the perfect consolation prize, somehow a million times better than the real thing. No trophy could even compare. Quinn’s lips were soft and warm and she was easily the greatest kisser Rachel had ever had the pleasure of kissing. Finn had said fireworks, this had Rachel’s whole world turning. It only seems fitting it happens on a stage.

But it doesn’t last much longer, because a resounding whistle sounds out from Santana. “Oooh, Q macking on the girl in front of everyone!”

Quinn pulls away, rolling her eyes at Santana, wrapping an arm tightly around Rachel’s waist, a gesture that makes Rachel giddy. It was like Quinn couldn’t resist touching her, and that made her heart spin. “Shut up Santana,” Quinn says.

“No, I’m gonna call you out for making us watch you swap spit with the hobbit,” Santana argues.

“Don’t call her that,” Quinn says, tucking Rachel that much closer to her. 

Rachel’s not sure her heart can take any of this, it’s all too much. “You’re going to be so annoying now that she’s your girlfriend huh?” Santana says, though she doesn’t look too mad about it, a small smirk on her face.

Quinn looks down at Rachel, “Probably, if she wants to be my girlfriend.”

The idea absolutely thrills Rachel. She would  _ love _ to be Quinn’s girlfriend. “Yes, yes, I’d love that,” Rachel assures.

Quinn smiles widely, pressing a kiss to the top of Rachel’s head. “Yes, I will be very annoying now,” she agrees.

Santana rolls her eyes, just as Mercedes joins the conversation. “Is your girlfriend joining us now, Quinn?” she asks, eyeing the couple from her spot beside Santana.

Rachel’s eyes widen. “You want me in the Troubletones?”

“Well of course, we can’t let that talent go to waste,” Mercedes says, “but you’re not getting all the solos.”

Rachel thinks that sounds perfect. “I would love to.”

“Great, I think we have an incredible chance at Nationals,” Mercedes announces, and Rachel can’t help but agree.

She doesn’t even care that she’s not going to get all the solos, because she’s going to be in a great group with her wonderful friends, and most importantly, she’s going to get to see Quinn perform.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as you can see i basically gave myself my dream season 3 with this fic. the rest of the season the only boy mentioned is sam bc he's mercedes's boyfriend and tina also joins, because she deserves it. that's what should've happened. anyways, kudos and comment please, see you all tomorrow


	23. day 23: arguing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so this is really really late, and i'm sorry for that. I hope it's to your liking, I'm still not 100% certain about it. there will be a Part Two to this coming hopefully later tonight or tomorrow,, in which All will be resolved so, there. 
> 
> I do not own Glee, its characters or its plotlines.

Quinn hates it. There’s nothing she hates more than the fact that Rachel doesn’t sit beside her in the choir room. They’re in Glee, and the woman she loves, her girlfriend, doesn’t sit in her lap, or in the chair beside her, no, she sits four seats away and two rows down, beside Kurt and Blaine, and it hurts. She knows it’s her fault, she was the one who said they should hide for the time being, just because Quinn was scared of what her mother would say and how Lima would react. She doesn’t like hiding though, everything in her wants to sit beside Rachel, hold her close, hold her hand when they walk down the hallways, kiss as they part for class. Kurt stands to serenade Blaine, and everything in Quinn aches to be able to do that. She knows if she met Rachel’s eyes right now, she’d see the same pain reflected back, and the whole thing hurts. 

She ignores Kurt’s song, not really caring to hear whatever professions of love he was going to share when she herself couldn’t profess her love. She knows it’s a bit petty, to be focussed only on herself, but she cannot bring herself to care, not when things hurt the way they do. 

Quinn watches as Finn drags his eyes to Rachel, smiling smugly, like Kurt’s love song reminds him of her, and it makes her skin crawl. She doesn’t like that look on his face, not about her girlfriend, and she wants to make it stop. Finn isn’t supposed to be looking at her girlfriend like that, like she’s a prize to be won. She’s not, and she belongs to Quinn, in the most non-objectifying way. Rachel was her own person, Quinn didn’t own her or lay a claim, but both she and Rachel belonged to each other, in the sense of love and commitment and utter devotion. She wants desperately for everyone to know that, for everyone to know that all of Quinn’s love belongs to Rachel. She doesn’t want to hide.

Suddenly all the things she’d been worried about at the beginning of their relationship don’t seem all that important. Sure she’s still scared about her mom, but she knows she has the support of her friends and Rachel’s dads, and she finds she doesn’t give a flying fuck about the Lima rumour mill. She’s Quinn Fabray, the head cheerleader, she can handle all the shit they have to say to her, and strike fear into those who say anything about Rachel. Quinn’s a tough girl, she isn’t afraid of anything, and she can protect Rachel, even though she knows she can take care of herself as well. 

Quinn’s ready, she’s not going to hide anymore.

///

She texts Rachel, tells her her mom won’t be home and that she should come over after Cheerio practice, and Quinn can’t help but smile goofily when Rachel enthusiastically agrees and tells her she loves her. She can’t wait to get through Cheerio practice, she wants to tell Rachel her plans so bad, see the huge grin on her face and the bombardment of kisses she thinks she’ll get when she tells her. It’s going to be perfect, and on Monday Quinn was going to get to hold her girlfriend’s hand in front of everyone. 

She books it out of practice, driving as fast as she safely can. Once home, it only takes Rachel a few minutes to get there, and Quinn is just  _ so  _ excited. When the doorbell rings, she practically bolts down the stairs. Opening the door, she smiles widely at Rachel, who smiles right back at her, immediately entering and pulling Quinn in for a long kiss. Kissing Rachel is incredible every time, but Quinn loves this kiss even more, because she knows it’s the first step in letting the world know about them. She can’t wait for the kisses that come with the next step.

“C’mon,” Quinn says, pulling away to grab Rachel’s hand and drag her upstairs. 

They go to Quinn’s room, cuddling together on the bed, and Quinn loves her mom, she really does, their relationship has been much better since Russell left, but she’s glad Judy’s out right now. It just makes her feel a bit more comfortable to have this discussion. She’s ready to tell her mom, but she doesn’t want her to find out like this. Not with Rachel in her arms, when she’s just coming to terms with sharing this with the whole world.

Quinn laces their hands together, pressing a kiss to Rachel’s, staring at them lovingly. She loves to do this, holding hands is such a simple gesture, but it felt like everything when it was with someone you loved. “How was your day?” Quinn asks, seriously wanting to know, she cared about Rachel’s feelings, and she’d only seen her for minimal time during the Glee club.

Rachel hums happily, her eyes sliding shut. “It was good,” she says, “I missed you a lot though, I’m glad you asked me over.”

Quinn knows this is her chance, here’s where she tells Rachel. “About that,” she says, “I miss you too, during the day, and I was thinking we could change that.”   
  
Rachel’s eyes snap open. “What?”

She looks at Quinn, her eyes reflecting an emotion Quinn’s not sure what to make of. It doesn’t seem positive, but maybe Rachel misunderstood. “I was thinking we could spend some more time together around school,” Quinn says, “because why would we spend time apart when we don’t have to hide anymore?”

Immediately, Rachel looks almost guarded. Quinn figures she’s bracing herself for the hurt in case Quinn isn’t saying what she thinks she’s saying. She’s so glad she’s saying that. “Are you saying…” Rachel trails off.

“I’m saying I’m tired of hiding Rachel, I want to come out,” she says, squeezing Rachel’s hand, “I want everyone to know.”

No sound is made. It almost sounds like Rachel’s not even breathing. There’s just utter silence, and it’s not really what Quinn expected. Quinn had expected cheers of joy and a million kisses. None of which has come to fruition. “Rachel?” Quinn asks, scared of the lack of any words from her typically verbose girlfriend.

“No,” Rachel says simply, and suddenly Quinn’s stomach bottoms out.

She wonders if she misheard Rachel, misunderstood her. “Uh, yes? I want to be out,” she confirms, in case Rachel’s comment was a shocked revelation. She figures it wasn’t.

“No, I heard you Quinn,” Rachel says, “I don’t… I don’t want that.”

Quinn’s whole world practically flips on its head. What? Rachel didn’t want to come out? This was never something she’d expected, and she finds it  _ hurts.  _ “What?” she says, the only thing that can fumble out of her mouth.

“I don’t want to come out, Quinn,” Rachel says, distancing herself from Quinn.

“What?” and she kicks herself for repeating the same words, “why not?”

“I just… I don’t want to,” she says, removing her hand from Quinn’s to play with it hesitantly.

Quinn doesn’t know what the fuck is going on right now. This makes almost no sense to her, it’s not like Rachel at all. Quinn knows Rachel is all big gestures and PDA, she’d seen her date Finn, it doesn’t click why Rachel was hesitating now. Unless it was a fear of more bullying or something. She understands that, but Rachel has to know she’ll protect her. “Rachel if this is about how people will react at school, I promise I’ll look after you, I would never let anyone hurt you,” Quinn says, and she means it. No one will say anything to her.

“It’s not that,” Rachel says, she won’t meet Quinn’s eyes, “I just can’t do it.”

Everything’s crumbling around Quinn, she can’t seem to figure out what is happening. This doesn’t feel real. She feels like she stepped into a nightmare, one where suddenly Rachel doesn’t want everything she wants. It feels like maybe, just maybe, she’s been making up all the happy loving feelings she thought Rachel returned for her. “Then what is it Rachel?” she says, and she tries to stay as calm as possible, but her voice cracks, “is it me? Are you going to break up with me? Am I not worth the hassle of coming out?”

“No! No Quinn, it’s…” she says, shaking her head, “I can’t be here right now.”

Rachel stands from the bed, grabbing the coat she had draped over the chair at Quinn’s desk. “Rachel,” Quinn says, but it doesn’t stop her, she just leaves, before Quinn can even move.

Barely seconds pass, and Quinn hears the front door slam. Tears flow immediately, floodgates completely open. She hasn’t the foggiest idea what just happened, all she knows is it feels almost like the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> watch out for part two tomorrow!


	24. day 24: making up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay sorry it's been a hot minute i just have had a busy couple of days. I really hope this is worth it, i am pretty proud of it! hope yall enjoy
> 
> i do not own glee, its characters or its plotlines

Quinn sobs. There’s no other way to put it. Her body shakes, tears stream down her face, her knees pulled to her chest. She doesn’t know how to stop, not when her worst nightmare just came true. She isn’t even sure she can call it that, because she hadn’t even considered this as a possibility. There was never a world where Rachel didn’t want to come out. She hadn’t even considered the possibility, and that makes it hurt that much more. Quinn wasn’t prepared for the utter drain of rejection, the feeling of her whole heart cracking in her chest. 

It just doesn’t make sense, and anytime she tries to reason with it, more tears fall from her eyes. Rachel didn’t want to come out. Because of something she didn’t wish to share with Quinn. It wasn’t any of the obvious answers that Quinn had come up with, and even if Rachel had denied it, Quinn made the simple and obvious observation that this was about her. Rachel was ashamed of something about Quinn, something about Quinn made it so Rachel only wanted to be with her behind closed doors, and for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out what. She thought they were  _ happy. _ She is so happy with Rachel, she hadn’t realized there was any problem at all, other than the fact that they were closeted. But clearly there was, and it cuts deep. The ache in her chest had yet to close, and it feels like it might not for a long time.

The woman she loves, the only woman she’s ever loved, and the woman she thought she’d love for a lot longer (she’s in high school she knows that but it’s just a gut feeling she gets, like this is really going to last), clearly thinks she’s lacking in some way and god it stings. Everyone in her life has seen her as inferior in some way, and she had never thought Rachel would be the next in a long line. She thought Rachel loved her for who she was, all the bad parts included, because she was trying to be better. She wants to know what did it. What ruined it for her? And she wants to know so  _ badly _ , she doesn’t even think, doesn’t stop to wipe her tears. She just grabs her car keys, driving over to Rachel’s house, only one thing on her mind, figuring out what the hell this means. 

She makes it safely, banging on the door. Hiram opens, immediately a confused look crossing his face. “Are you okay Quinn?” he asks, his voice soft, but Quinn figures he must also know what happened, at least to some extent, if Rachel came home.

“I need to talk to Rachel,” she says, sounding almost desperate. 

He nods, like he knows this is why she’s here, and moves to let her in. “She’s in her room,” he says, and Quinn nods, jumping up the stairs two at a time.

She wants to get up there fast, give Rachel a piece of her mind, express her discomfort over what happened. Her discomfort over how  _ Rachel  _ made her feel. Quinn knocks on Rachel’s door, always respectful of her privacy, even in the heat of their argument. “Dad I told you I don’t want to talk about it,” Rachel shouts from inside the door.

The hurt in her voice breaks Quinn’s heart, but what Quinn doesn’t truly understand is why she would be hurt. She’s the one who reacted completely negatively, the one who made Quinn feel like she was never enough. Quinn needs that to be addressed. “It’s me,” Quinn says.

She hears the soft “Oh,” fall from Rachel’s lips, and she waits for her to open the door, but it doesn’t happen. At this point, Quinn doesn’t want to wait anymore. She pushes the door open herself, emerging into Rachel’s room. Her girlfriend is lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling, tear tracks staining her cheeks. She looks miserable. Quinn wants to be angry. She does, she had come over in heartache inspired anger, but looking at Rachel, all she can feel is despair. Today makes no sense, and Quinn’s heart just  _ hurts. _

“Hi,” Rachel says, playing with her hands.

Quinn takes in a deep breath, crossing the room to sit at the foot of the bed. “Hey.”

There’s silence lingering between them, and Quinn wishes she knew what to say. “I’m sorry,” Rachel says, her voice quiet, her eyes not meeting Quinn’s.

That makes it even harder. Because she doesn’t know what Rachel is feeling sorry for. Is she asking for forgiveness for making Quinn feel the way she did? Is she apologizing for not wanting to come out? Quinn voices her concerns. “I can tell, Rach,” she says, because she can hear the honesty in her voice, “I just really don’t understand, why wouldn’t you want to come out? Is it me?”   
  
Her voice stumbles over tears, struggling to speak over the growing lump in her throat. “I just thought we were so happy,” Quinn sighs, dejected, “it just doesn’t make any sense to me. I thought we were in love, I thought you’d be happy I wanted to do this.”

“I love you, Quinn,” Rachel responds, “I love you so much, you’re the best thing in my life and that’s the problem.”

Quinn frowns, meeting Rachel’s eyes as best she can while she still stares at the ceiling. “What?” 

Rachel sighs. “I love you,” she says, sitting up, meeting Quinn’s eyes for real this time, “and…I want this. But I’m terrified.”

Quinn’s brow furrows. What could Rachel be scared of that they haven’t already discussed? “I think you’ll come to regret it,” Rachel says, continuing before Quinn can even begin to argue, “I don’t think you understand the gravity of what’s going to happen when we come out.”   
  
Tears pool in Rachel’s eyes, dripping down her cheeks, and Quinn wants to reach out, kiss them away, but she knows that distraction wouldn’t be warranted right now. She wants to hear Rachel’s side of the argument, what caused the pain between the both of them. “We don’t know how your mom is going to react. We don’t know how the school is going to react,” she pauses, her voice shaking, seemingly struggling to get the words out, “what if she kicks you out again Quinn? What if everyone shuns you?”

Quinn wants to say that it wouldn’t matter. It doesn’t matter, Quinn had already come to that conclusion before she had told Rachel this is what she wanted. She wouldn’t have said it if she hadn’t considered all the possibilities. “Anything could happen in Lima, we could be relentlessly bullied, shoved into lockers, slushied, threatened, you saw what happened to Kurt, and Santana didn’t fare all that well at points either, and she wasn’t dating the school loser,” Rachel says, the tears slipping fast and heavy down her cheeks, “I am scared that this isn’t going to turn out the way you want it to, and you’re going to resent me.”   
  
She can barely believe her ears. Rachel thinks she’s going to resent her because of the actions of others? How could she ever? She  _ loves _ Rachel, with her whole heart, with everything in her, nothing could ever lead her to feeling that way, not the most relentless, heinous bullying, not her mother disowning her for a second time. In fact, all those things would be bearable, they’d be fine, worthy consequences, if she got to love Rachel in front of the whole world. That’s what today’s whole realization had led her to. “Rachel, baby,” she says, trying to bring the words to her mouth, to tell Rachel how much she loved her, “I could nev—”

“Don’t say that,” Rachel snaps, looking almost shocked by her own tone, “I…I just…I know you think that now…but I think you’ll find that it’s not worth the heartache. That I’m not worth it.” 

That’s what clues Quinn in. This was never about her at all, it was Rachel’s deep seated insecurities, her fear that she was never good enough. Quinn knows they’re there, knows she’d worsened them throughout years of bullying, and her heart breaks over Rachel for probably the millionth time that night. She can’t help but crawl across the bed, pulling Rachel close to her. She presses kisses to her lips and her forehead and her cheeks, finally brushing away tears. “Rachel,” she says, punctuating her almost reverent phrase with a kiss to soft lips and a hand curling around Rachel’s, “that would never happen. I know you think it will. I’m sure there are a million thoughts running in that beautiful head of yours that tell you it will. I bet you have a thousand scenarios, none of them good, ones where we get bullied horribly and I can’t take it. Ones where I stop loving you. But Rachel, there’s just no way that could ever happen.”

Quinn brushes hair out of Rachel’s eyes, trying to convey her true feelings through their eye contact. “That could never happen, because you are so worth it. The two of us haven’t worked through a million issues together for our love to end because of some bullying or because I fall from grace. We’re stronger than that,” Quinn says, “please trust me on this.”

Rachel nods, tears spilling down her cheeks again. Quinn hopes they’re happier tears. “I love you Rachel, and I understand you’re scared and can’t quite make the fears stop but I am here for you with everything in me. I know you can’t trust the world and all the cruelties you’ve experienced, I know it’s hard for you to trust that anything could go good, but all I’m asking is for you to trust in me. I adore you Rachel, and I don’t want to let this get in the way of me telling the whole world that. I don’t want your fear to stop us from getting what we both want,” she pauses, fearful for a moment, “everything aside, this is what you want right?”

Rachel squeezes her eyes shut, wiping at her face with her free hand. She nods incessantly, before taking a deep breath as she opens her eyes. “Yes,” she whispers, “I want this more than I know how to express. I just don’t know how to let the fear go.”

“Let me share it with you,” Quinn says, “I mean, I bet it’s already helped to talk about it, so share the burden with me. We’ll carry it together, just like we’re going to do this together. Sound good?”

Rachel nods again, leaning in to kiss Quinn. “Thank you,” she whispers against her lips, “thank you for listening to me. For not telling me my fears were stupid, or that I should just let them go.”

Quinn smiles, it’s something she’ll never get tired of doing. Rachel is the woman she loves, she’d do anything for her. “Of course, baby,” she says. 

The loving look in Rachel’s eyes dims though, as her eyes drift back to her hands. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. 

“For what?”

“For not telling you in the first place,” she says, “for running out. For making you feel like you were the problem.”

Quinn shakes her head. “No honey, I understand, it’s okay,” she says, “while I would’ve appreciated you telling me from the start, I understand why you were scared, and I apologize for jumping to conclusions. I just… struggle a bit with thinking I’m worthy too, and I was scared you were just becoming another person who thought I wasn’t living up to your expectations. I was just scared too.”

Rachel smiles nodding, pressing another kiss to Quinn’s lips. “You don’t have to ever be afraid of that baby. I love you so much, and to me you’re pretty much perfect,” she says, “you live up to all my expectations and more.”

Quinn can’t resist kissing her again. She just loves this girl so much, and those words were everything she needed to hear. Quinn can’t help but think they really do work well together, easing each other’s pain, making things better when they can. It makes Quinn feel so good. It makes Quinn remember why she wants to be out with Rachel so badly. It’s all there in the love shared between them. “So,” Quinn says, pulling away after a long moment, “coming out?”

Rachel’s smile is small and a little nervous, but Quinn thinks it’s the most beautiful thing in the world. “Let’s do it,” she says, “pick me up for school on Monday and we can walk in together?”

“Sounds perfect,” Quinn says, not wasting another moment talking. 

She wants to kiss this girl, savour every last moment. On Monday, they were going to be free to be out and in love for everyone to see, and that just makes this all the more sweeter. 


	25. day 25: gazing into each other's eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! somewhat back on track now, here's day 25, it's a doozy, takes place in a season two au where rachel and quinn are in a (oooh) secret relationship and rachel breaks her nose. this might not be the only one of this type i do lol, i have some other ideas. hope you like it.
> 
> I do not own Glee, its plotlines, its characters, and I definitely do not own the direct dialogue from Glee's Born This Way

Quinn doesn’t see it when it happens. She’s in the row in front of Rachel, and because she’s dancing, her gaze, which usually at least keeps Rachel in her peripheral, is focused on the stage in front of her, imagining the audience at Nationals. She doesn’t even notice until she hears the  _ thwap _ of Finn’s hand hitting Rachel. It’s then that Quinn turns, and sees the terrifying descent of Rachel to the floor, clutching her nose, before Rachel collapses into herself with a deafening crash. Quinn doesn’t even think, she just moves to her girlfriend immediately, shoving Finn away as strongly as she can as she tries to reach Rachel. “I’m bleeding,” Rachel whimpers, a hand to her nose as Quinn reaches for her.

The sad cry makes Quinn’s heart constrict, and she just barely resists the urge to pull Rachel fully into her arms. She knows that all eyes are on them, but she couldn’t resist reaching out for Rachel, not when her girlfriend is near tears, cowering holding her nose, the very nose she’d once told Quinn to avoid if she punched her. Quinn can’t deny she’s  _ terrified _ and that’s why, even when Mr Schue says, “Let’s get you to a hospital,” Quinn doesn’t let go.

She can’t, she  _ needs _ to make sure Rachel’s okay. Finn tries to follow after them, but Quinn shoots him a dirty look, not needing the guilty culprit in the waiting room with her while she makes sure her girlfriend is okay. No one needs to be there other than Quinn.

///

Quinn calls Rachel’s fathers while she’s getting her nose x-rayed, and then they are shuffled into a room to wait. Rachel sits on the chair, looking truly distraught. Quinn knows she’s scared, scared it’s broken, scared that this happened right before Nationals, scared that her nose will never be fixed. Quinn’s scared of those things too, which is why she stands as close to Rachel as possible, a comforting hand wrapped around hers, the other stroking Rachel’s hair in the most soothing manner she can. “I’m scared,” Rachel says, in the most broken voice.

Quinn hates hearing it. Rachel never needs to sound like that, she should never be hurt, always happy and healthy and safe. Finn Hudson had swung his big clumsy hands though and he’d hurt her, and God, Quinn was fucking mad. She was trying not to angrily pace the room, thinking up a plan to make him take responsibility for his stupidness, but comforting Rachel was more important. Quinn presses a soft kiss to the top of Rachel’s head, squeezing her hand. “Baby it’s going to be okay,” Quinn says, “I promise you’re going to be alright.”   
  
“It’s just the worst time for this,” Rachel pouts, “I can’t be injured right now, and it hurts and I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t like not knowing.”

“I promise it’s going to heal just fine and you’ll be ready for nationals,” Quinn says, “but it might not even be broken anyways.”

“It’s broken,” the doctor says as he enters the room.

Quinn was going to kill Finn. He was going to pay for his idiocy. Couldn’t he keep his monstrous hands to himself? Quinn could barely believe he’d managed to break Rachel’s nose while dancing. He was easily the dumbest person Quinn has ever met. “It’s a clean break,” the doctor continues, “so I won’t have to set it, but considering your deviated septum, I would consider this a terrific opportunity for a little vanity adjustment.”

Quinn’s eyes widen. Was he suggesting what she thinks he is? He better not be, Rachel’s nose was  _ perfect.  _ It was what brought her whole beautiful face together. Quinn would love her no matter what she decided, but she knows Rachel’s face would look so wrong without her nose. Quinn couldn’t even fathom the thought of it being replaced. “Are you suggesting that I get a nose job?” Rachel asks, sounding thankfully as incredulous as Quinn feels.

“You’re sixteen right? That’s when I gave my daughters’ theirs. It’s like a rite of passage for Jewish girls,” he says, and his words anger Quinn even more. She doesn’t like the idea that this man thinks Rachel has something she needs to change. He doesn’t even know Rachel, how dare he?

“First of all,” Rachel says, looking back to Quinn with a soft smile, “I like how I look.”

The doctor ignores Rachel’s declaration, turning his attention to Quinn. “This is your friend?” he asks, and Quinn nods, never liking that term, but not in love with the idea of outing herself to this doctor for the sake of convincing her girlfriend to get a nose job she doesn’t need, “she’s got a great nose, I could give you one just like hers.”   
  
Quinn shudders to think of Rachel with her nose, the whole idea sounds  _ wrong _ , worse than the concept of Rachel getting a nose job in the first place. She would not let that happen. It seems Rachel’s in agreement. “Second of all,” she says, sounding a bit annoyed that her list of reasons to say no to a nose job were interrupted, “I don’t want to do anything that’s going to affect my voice. My Broadway career depends on it.” 

Nodding, Quinn squeezes Rachel’s hand. “She’s the best singer,” she says, just simply stating the truth.

The doctor looks at them both almost giddy, “Doesn’t affect the voice! That’s just a myth,” he says, “the fact is, opening up that septum might allow you to take in more air per breath, which means bigger belts on your high notes.”

Rachel’s eyes grow larger, the confusion obvious, but she looks less skeptical about the whole thing, and Quinn feels a sinking feeling in her stomach. “But Barbra…” Rachel says.

“Is great,” The doctor agrees, “she’s also one in a million. The fact is, if you really want to be an actress, you might want to consider looking and sounding the best you can. I got an appointment open next week, can I sign you up?”

Rachel looks uncertain, her eyebrows drawn, her eyes darting to Quinn. “Can we talk about it?” Quinn asks, not going to let Rachel make this decision without first talking her through it, “Alone.”

“Of course,” the doctor says, leaving the room.

As soon as he’s gone, Quinn takes both of Rachel’s hands into her own. “You’re not seriously considering this, are you?” 

Rachel tips her head to the side, avoiding eye contact with Quinn, “Well…” she pauses, “if it can make my singing better.”

Quinn shakes her head, looking at the floor before sighing heavily. She can’t believe the doctor put these ideas into her girlfriend’s head. “Your singing voice is more than perfect baby,” Quinn says.

“There’s always room for improvement,” Rachel says, but she doesn’t sound all that confident in her reasoning. 

Quinn tightens her grip on Rachel’s hands, meeting her girlfriend’s eyes, forcing eye contact. “Rachel, honey, what is this really about?” she asks, because she knows it’s not about the singing. Barbra was Barbra without changing her nose, so Quinn knows Rachel knows that she can be  _ that  _ good.

“I mean, it’s mostly about my singing voice, obviously,” Rachel says, and it sounds forced, but Quinn nods, granting her that much, “but… I can’t deny I wouldn’t like to have a more… demure nose. I’ve faced bullying most of my life, I’ve been insecure, it might even stop me from getting roles in the future. Why should I let it get in my way? Why have I been so against doing something that might make my life easier? That will make me feel more comfortable and happy and make me more palatable to audiences. Why can’t I do something little to be beautiful? Why is that so wrong?”   
  
Quinn’s heart breaks in her chest. Rachel’s voice is pained with insecurities from all the mean words she’s suffered, from all the fears she still harbours about her futures, and Quinn hates it. She knows she contributed to Rachel’s insecurities surrounding her looks, even if she never targeted her nose in specific, and it hurts, knowing she ever made Rachel feel like anything other than the most beautiful girl in the world. Because that’s what she was to Quinn, a stunning beauty who almost stopped her heart every time she looked at her. Quinn was mesmerized by every one of Rachel’s perfect features, she never wanted them to change, not when they were already so wonderful, so beautiful and incredible just the way they are. “Rachel,” Quinn breathes, trying to convey all her love through the simple eye contact, “you already are the most beautiful girl in the world. You’re perfect with your nose just like that, in fact, I think it’s what makes your face so wonderful. You wouldn’t be you without it.”

Rachel immediately shies away, shaking her head, “Quinn, come on,” she says, trying to discredit Quinn’s words.

“No Rachel,” Quinn says, cupping Rachel’s cheek, guiding her to meet her eyes once again, “I am so serious and completely honest. I mean every word. I think you are simply a picture, a vision of beauty that literally doesn’t compare to anyone else. I look at you baby, and sometimes I can’t breathe, my body is just overwhelmed with the sheer radiance of you. I know it sounds cheesy but Rach, it is so true. I can’t believe you’re mine every single time I see you. And that’s you, just the way you are. I don’t want you to change, because this nose is part of the perfect image in my head, the one that’s lived in my dreams for years, the one of the woman I love. You are just gorgeous Rachel, and I can’t imagine you’d be anymore beautiful with a more  _ demure _ nose.”

Rachel doesn’t say anything for a moment, just gazing into Quinn’s eyes. She can’t deny she’s a little scared she might’ve… overstepped her boundaries or something, so she quickly adds, “but whatever you want, I support you,” a little less enthusiastically, but all the while true.

Rachel lets out a watery laugh, “How could I want to change when you say things like that?”

Letting out a much needed sigh of relief, Quinn presses a quick, soft, loving kiss to Rachel’s lips. “That was the intended effect,” they both laugh, sharing a few more kisses before, “I really really did mean it all though, I love you so much, nose and all.”

“I know,” Rachel says, her thumb tracing along Quinn’s hand, “I can tell you mean it, there’s so much honesty, so much raw love in your eyes. It blows my mind.”

She’s glad her eyes had conveyed just how she felt, she needs Rachel to know. It’s crucial to her. “Only for you baby,” Quinn says, because it’s true, all her love is for Rachel.

Rachel grins, “I love you so much, you know that?” Rachel asks, “thank you for talking me out of my momentary insanity.”

Quinn doesn’t even need to be thanked. She’s more than happy to do it, more than happy to express just how much she loves Rachel. It’s the easiest thing ever. “I’d do it a million more times if you needed,” she says, probably deeper than it needs to be, but it’s true. Quinn has every intention to do it for the rest of her life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again i do not own the dialogue from Born This Way


	26. day 26: getting married

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi there folks, it's been a minute hasn't it!!! I am sorry for the long delay, but things happened and I got distracted and unmotivated and it took me a minute to get to the place I needed to be to write this again. I will finish it, this will prevail!!!!! Today's prompt is getting married. I would like to warn for homophobia, there is quite a bit of blatant verbal homophobia in this one, so if that's a trigger for you feel free to skip it!!!

Quinn wasn’t sure why she was doing this. It didn’t really make a lot of sense to her, going back to her parents’ home for the first time in years, to tell them what she was about to. She knows they won’t take it well, and yet she has a pull she can’t deny. Something in her wanted to tell them, announce to them something she knew they wouldn’t approve of, finally shred that last string of connection. She supposes it's the last thing she needs to let go of before she gets to live the life she has ahead of her entirely free. 

Standing in front of the door, only a thin slab of wood between her and her parents, she can barely catch her breath. She wants to do this, but she’s nervous. There’s no doubt in her mind that it’ll end in disaster, and that makes this a daunting task. Rachel had asked to come, had wanted to support her, hold her hand, make everything all better, but Quinn had refused. She didn’t want Rachel to go through this, not for the sake of her closure. She didn’t have a clue how bad it could get.

She raises her hand to the door, three short taps, and drops it, waiting. It doesn’t take long, Quinn counts to six before the door opens to Judy Fabray. Judy’s eyebrows raise, her jaw drops, complete and utter shock, exactly the look Quinn expected to see after being gone for almost seven years. “Quinn?” Judy asks, sounding just as awed as she looks.

“Hi Mom,” Quinn says quietly, not sure what else to say.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, then quickly shakes her head, “it doesn’t matter, come inside dear, I’ll get your father.”

Quinn follows her mother in, looking around the house that hasn’t changed a bit since the last time she was here. Her heart threatens to pump right out of her chest at just the mention of her father, seeing him was the part of this trip she was absolutely dreading. He was a loose cannon, the dangerous atom bomb of this whole discussion, seconds away from explosion at any moment. She came prepared though. She’d tell them her news, and then she’d be out of there, back to the Berrys’ home and Rachel’s loving arms in no time at all.

Her parents enter the room, and the look that Russell gives Quinn is one she can’t even decipher. He didn’t really seem happy to see her, but the feeling was entirely mutual. Russell sits in his chair, and Judy sits on the end of the couch closest to him. Quinn chooses the couch as well, but as far away from her mother as she can be. She’s trying to be cordial, but she has no need to be close with her parents. She wants to be able to escape as fast as possible. “So Quinn,” Judy says, rubbing her hands on her dress, “where are you currently living? What do you do?”

“I live in New York,” Quinn says, she has for the last three years, ever since graduating Yale, “I’m attending graduate school at Columbia and I work part time as a copy editor at a publishing house.”

“Wow, that’s impressive Quinn,” Judy says, and she almost sounds proud of her.

“You graduated from Yale then?” Russell asks, not even bothering to look at Quinn. 

“I did,” she says, remembering how it stung that none of her family had come, but Rachel and all their friends had been there, despite the stifling heat, and that was enough.

The thought of Rachel drags her back to the conversation she came here with intentions to have. She just needs to get this out of the way. “But I didn’t come here to talk about that,” Quinn says, “I have news I wanted to share with you.”

“Oh?” Judy says, her brows furrowing.

“Yes,” Quinn mutters, taking a deep breath, “I’m getting married.”

Judy’s face immediately lights up. “Quinn!” she nearly shouts, “I am so happy for you! You have to share all the details! When? Where? Who’s the lucky man?”

Well there was the damning question. There certainly was no lucky man. Here was her chance to tell the truth. “Her name is Rachel Berry,” she says, looking at her hands.

“I’m sorry Quinn,” her mother says, her voice guarded, calculated, “I don’t think I heard you correctly, would you repeat yourself?”

“Her name is Rachel Berry, we went to high school together, you probably met her a few times,” Quinn says, though she knows the who of the matter is not the issue, so much as the gender.

“You can’t be serious,” Judy says.

“I am Mom, Rachel and I are getting married this June,” she says, tagging on a caveat she knows neither of her parents will care about, “We’re very happy.”

“But you’re not like… that Quinn,” Judy says, like she knows Quinn at all. She hadn’t throughout her entire childhood, and there was no way she knew her now.

“Well actually I am,” she says, not afraid of her sexuality any longer, it had been years since she came out to everyone else, “I’m gay, and I’m marrying a wo—”

“Shut up,” Russell interrupts, “you don’t have the right to come into my home after seven years and say bullshit like that. Did we not teach you any respect?”

Quinn sighs, “I came to tell you the truth, if you can’t accept that, fine.”

Judy shakes her head, “How could we?”

“The amount of people who have already RVSP’d for our wedding would astound you,” Quinn says, not having the energy to argue with her mother’s beliefs.

“Those people clearly have no morals,” Russell says, “I don’t know when you lost yours, we didn’t raise you like this.”

Quinn shakes her head. “I still have my morals,” she says, knowing she’s not going to change his mind. 

“No you do not,” Russell says, “coming into my home and saying this like there isn’t any issue with it.”

“There isn’t anything wrong with it,” Quinn states, and it’s something it took her a long time to come to terms with, but now that she’s here, she knows she’s right.

“Lucy Quinn Fabray,” he says, his voice low, anger simmering in a way Quinn knows rests just under the surface. It makes her want to leave immediately.

“You know that the bible says what you’re doing is wrong, Leviticus 18:22, don’t act like you haven’t read it,” he continues, “don’t act like you are somehow above God’s law.” 

Quinn resists the urge to roll her eyes, she knew she’d get this shit from them, she’s not even surprised in the slightest. She feels a bitter feeling in her stomach though, she wishes this wasn’t the family that raised her. She wonders what it would be like to have a family that loved her unconditionally. “I’m not above God, I’m just aware that God wouldn’t judge me for loving,” she says confidently.

“I can’t hear this,” Russell says, standing from his chair and shaking his head, “no daughter of mine will talk like this.”

Quinn hasn’t felt like his daughter for a long time, she wonders if she ever really did. She certainly doesn’t remember it. “Fine,” Quinn says, deciding she’s going to drive the final nail into the coffin, “but she’s taking my name. The next generation of Fabrays will be my wife and I, just thought you should know.”

Russell’s fists clench and he takes a step towards Quinn as she stands from the couch. “Get out,” he spits, finally uttering the words she’s been waiting to hear. 

“I’m going,” she says, not feeling the need to spend another moment in this house. She’d never felt safe here.

She leaves, never looking back once. She’s surprised by how good it feels. Settling behind the wheel of her car, she feels like she can finally breathe again. Quinn feels really  _ free _ in a way she hadn’t before. It was a miserable ending to that chapter in her life, so she can open a new one. 

///

The front door is unlocked when she arrives back at the Berrys’ home, and as soon as she enters, all the anxious energy dissipates. This place felt warm, here she felt safe, completely the opposite of the house she’d just left. “Quinn?” Rachel’s voice calls from the kitchen.

“I’m here baby,” she says, taking off her shoes and heading into the kitchen, where Rachel and her fathers reside.

She doesn’t hesitate to cross the room to Rachel, wrapping her arms around her fiancée and pressing a kiss to her lips. After she pulls away from the kiss, she just holds Rachel tight, needing a comforting hug right now, in the midst of it all. Rachel seems to understand, because she lets Quinn cling to her for a few moments before, “How’d it go?” she asks softly, like she’s trying to avoid her dads hearing. They’ve done a very good job focussing on the meal they’re cooking, pretending they’re not paying attention to Rachel and Quinn.

“Exactly as expected,” she says, “I have been disowned.”

Rachel sighs sadly, though Quinn knows she hadn’t gotten her expectations up for once, “I’m sorry baby.”

“It’s okay,” Quinn says, “I knew it was coming.”

Rachel huffs, “I know, but it’s still not fair.”

She reaches up to cup Quinn’s cheek, “You shouldn’t have to go through this,” she says.

“It’s fine,” Quinn says, because she’s really not that bothered over it.

“No it’s not Quinn,” she says firmly, “homophobia from your parents is not  _ fine _ , it’s unfair and wrong and you shouldn’t have to deal with their bigotry.”

Quinn nods, smiling a little at Rachel’s short angry rant, it was a little bit cute, “I know Rach, you’re right. I shouldn’t have to deal with homophobia,” she says, “but really. It’s fine, because I get you. I literally don’t give a fuck what they think, because I am marrying the most wonderful, beautiful woman in the world, who I love with my whole heart, and their hatred doesn’t bring me down. I don’t need them, because I’ve created a whole new family, with you.”

Rachel’s frown dances up her cheeks, tears glistening in her eyes, “Oh,” she says eloquently, “oh. Well... I love you baby, and I am really, really glad you’ve chosen me to be your family.”

Before Quinn can even lean down to kiss Rachel, or wax poetic about how lucky she was that Rachel let her choose her, both Berry men turn from the pot on the stove. “We’re glad you picked her too Quinn,” Hiram says, “because we gained a second wonderful daughter, and even though your parents can’t accept you, we always will. We love you Quinn, and we’re so happy to become your family.”

Tears water in her eyes, and she thinks back to the moments in that house, with her biological parents. She had asked herself what it would be like to have a family who loved her unconditionally, and she thinks right here, she knows how that feels. It feels wonderful, warm, safe and happy like she’s never been before. It overwhelms the bitter sadness she’d felt over being disowned, like water washing away dirt. It feels  _ so _ good.

Quinn tightens her grasp on Rachel, turning to her fathers, and smiles. “Thank you,” she says, even if it doesn’t feel like enough to express her gratitude, “thank you for loving me without fail and accepting me for who I am. I am so lucky that you have welcomed me into the family. I can’t wait to make it official.”


	27. day 27: on one of their birthdays

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi ! i'm back! I am going to finish this no matter what I do. I will finish it. I'm so close to being done. I can't promise tomorrow, because I'm pretty busy with school, but I promise, as soon as possible. Here's a little birthday one-shot for Quinn, I hope you enjoy!!

Rachel's been dating Quinn for four months when she realizes she doesn't have a clue when her girlfriend's birthday is. She tries desperately to think back to high school, when the cheerios often decorated each other's lockers and brought balloons, making a big spectacle of it, but she couldn't remember one of those days being dedicated to Quinn. It seems almost odd to her, why would Quinn not have a day like the rest, especially given she was the head cheerio? She reasons though, that perhaps Quinn had a summer birthday. It made sense, and as summer was swiftly approaching, she figures it’s time to ask Quinn when it was, so she could prepare the perfect day. Quinn had plans to spend the summer with Rachel in New York when school was out, and Rachel knew she could make the best of that occasion. It’s April 24th when she skypes Quinn, knowing her girlfriend just got out of an exam. “Hi baby,” she says as it connects.

She smiles as Quinn’s pretty face appears in front of her, Rachel never gets tired of seeing her, she cannot wait for two weeks from now, when she gets to see her in person. “Hi Rach,” Quinn greets back, gracing Rachel with an award-winning smile. 

“How was your exam?” Rachel asks, knowing Quinn had spent hours studying for this, it was a huge part of her grade.

“It was good,” Quinn says, “I think I did really good, I didn’t struggle too much thankfully. I had a good grasp on the material.”

Rachel’s incredibly glad to hear that, she knows Quinn had been stressed, and she doesn’t want that to weigh on her. “I’m so glad to hear that,” she says, “I can’t wait to give you a congratulatory kiss.”

Quinn’s grin widens, and Rachel loves that the very mention of kissing her elicits such a response, it makes her stomach turn in the best way possible. “I can’t wait to spend the summer with you,” Quinn says, “it’s going to be so good to have so much time with you.”

Rachel nods, she feels the same way. It’ll be the longest time she and Quinn will have been together consecutively since they got together, and she can’t wait to spend everyday waking up with her beside her, and going to sleep in Quinn’s arms. It’s seriously a dream come true. Especially if she gets to celebrate her birthday with her. “About that,” Rachel says, “I have a question for you.”

“Yes?” Quinn asks, one perfect brow raised in an inquisitive manner.

“I realized I don’t know when your birthday is,” Rachel states, continuing with the research she had uncovered, “I figure it’s a summer birthday, because I don’t remember it being celebrated during the school year, and so I figured I’d ask and we could celebrate together.”

Quinn’s eyebrow drops, and her face twists into an expression Rachel has never seen before. She doesn’t know how to read it. “I don’t really like my birthday,” Quinn says, her voice almost sullen, her eyes not meeting Rachel’s.

Rachel can’t really fathom that perspective, her birthday was her favourite day of the year, the day everything revolved around her and everyone’s attention was all on her. She loved it, she loved getting gifts and being pampered, but she supposes that’s not all that surprising for her. Quinn’s response though, is to her. “Why not?” she says, trying to school her features into tactfulness. She wants to respect Quinn’s feelings, not express her shock at a difference in opinion.

“I don’t know, it just wasn’t pleasant when I was a kid, and it only got worse as a teenager, and so I just tend to ignore it. I get one year older, big deal, no one needs to know,” Quinn says, and it makes Rachel sad, but she thinks this time it might be best to conform to Quinn’s wishes.

“Okay, but let me know beforehand if you wanna do something special okay? I can bake you a cake,” Rachel says, and she’s confident she can. She’s quite an adept baker.

“Okay baby,” Quinn says, the smile back again, “I’ll let you know.”   
  
///

All things considered, Rachel is pretty good at letting it go.   
  
She only thinks about it maybe four times a day, and it's far easier when Quinn arrives. Then her days are full of her girlfriend, of exploring New York and spending time with each other in quiet silence. It’s perfect, New York makes Rachel feel so at home as it is, but with Quinn here it feels that much better. It’s like everything she could ever want, and she loves every second of it.

Unfortunately, time well spent passes fast, and the time they have together dwindles. They wake up together on the morning of August thirty-first, Quinn’s last full day in New York, and Rachel clings to the girl in her bed with all of her might. “You can’t go,” she says, nuzzling her face into Quinn’s warm shoulder.

“I don’t want to,” Quinn whispers, and there’s a certain ache in her voice that makes Rachel know it’s real, know it’s the complete and utter truth. Quinn wants to be here with her. 

Rachel feels a kiss planted in her hair, and she can’t help but let out a sigh of contentment. She doesn’t think she wants to be anywhere ever again, except maybe onstage. Rachel was made for two places, Quinn Fabray’s arms and the stage. She thinks that would be the perfect existence.

They lie like that for a while longer, just holding each other close, sparing a few loving kisses, anything to drag out their time together. Rachel knows she’ll see Quinn again, she knows she’ll see Quinn everyday at some point in her life, but right now, Quinn’s going to leave, she’s going to be miles away from her, and the cold reality of that leaves a deep need to  _ cherish _ Quinn being here to the best of her ability.    
  
That is until her stomach grumbles, awkwardly interrupting their comfortable silence. Quinn laughs aloud, pulling away slightly from Rachel. “Breakfast time?” she asks, that gorgeous radiant smile beaming down on Rachel, nearly blinding.

She can’t say no to that smile, and she quite likes making breakfast with her girlfriend, so she nods. They get up, brush their teeth but stay in their pyjamas, no need to change out of their comfy clothes when they’re just spending the day together. Rachel doesn’t have any plans, she wants to sit with Quinn, and hold her as close as possible for as long as possible. Nothing else.

But now, they make breakfast, vegan french toast and bacon for Quinn, dancing around the kitchen, kissing and singing, something Rachel’s happy to see Quinn do. Her girlfriend doesn’t sing nearly enough, so when Rachel gets the pleasure of hearing her slightly pitchy alto sing along to Honey, Honey from Mamma Mia!, it nearly takes her breath away. She loves it. It makes her smile and she doesn’t hesitate to kiss Quinn, soft, but long and loving, just because she can. “I love you,” she whispers as she pulls away, turning to take the food off the burner.

“I love you too,” Quinn says, pressing a kiss to the side of Rachel’s neck before turning to get the plates.

It’s not the first time Rachel’s heard those words, but they still send shivers down her spine. She loves to hear them. She loves knowing that Quinn loved her, it made her so happy. 

They eat together, joking and laughing, holding hands across the table, well into the afternoon.

///

The day continues much like that, they do the dishes, and migrate to the couch, cuddling together with the TV on low in the background. It’s just noise, they’re not paying attention at all, they’re busy talking, kissing, reminiscing on the last four months and how they never want it to end. 

They order food, watch a bad movie just to make fun of it. Rachel thinks it’s the best way to spend her day, just a lazy day in with her girl. She really thinks she could do this everyday for the rest of her life, and when they settle into bed together that night, that’s all she can think. Quinn is sleepy, immediately nuzzling her face into Rachel’s hair, sighing happily with a quick kiss there. “I love you,” Rachel says, unable to keep the smile off her face.

“I love you too,” Quinn says, her voice low and rumbly, near sleep, “today was my birthday.”

Rachel bolts right up and out of Quinn’s arms, almost hitting her head on the headboard. “What?” she nearly shouts, watching as Quinn startles awake.

Quinn rubs at her face, letting out a deep sigh and closing her eyes. Rachel wonders if she even meant to say it. “It’s my birthday,” she says clearer, “and… it was the best birthday I’ve ever had, so thank you.”

Rachel feels touched, but she can’t help but feel a little bit  _ mad _ . Well, not actually angry, but definitely annoyed. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Rachel asks, “I could’ve made it so special, we could’ve had a party and I could’ve made a cake… we just lazed around all day.”

Quinn smiles, “Yeah, that’s exactly what I wanted to do on my birthday,” she says, “I didn’t want to do anything extravagant or be with anyone other than you. I just wanted to spend the day with my favourite person, doing nothing.”

Rachel sighs, she supposes that she can’t deny Quinn’s wishes if that’s what she wanted, and it had been a really nice day. “Are you sure?” Rachel asks, because she really doesn’t know if this is really what Quinn wants, or if she’s just pacifying Rachel.

“Yes baby, I loved today,” she says, reaching to pull Rachel back into bed, continuing as soon as she’s once again tucked under Quinn’s chest, “I meant it, I just wanted to spend our last day together, the day that happened to be my birthday, and it seriously was my best birthday ever. You did that. I wouldn’t have told you it was my birthday if I wasn’t absolutely so happy with it.”

Rachel turns, pressing a kiss to Quinn’s neck. “I’m glad to hear it,” she says, “I love you so much, happy birthday baby.”

“I love you too Rach,” she says, “thank you very much.”

And then, Quinn’s sleepiness returns, and her breath evens out, and Rachel knows she’s asleep.

///

Rachel knows Quinn was happy with her birthday, but she can’t help but want to do something special for her, so she slips out of the apartment at an early hour, hoping to return before Quinn wakes. She picks up a cupcake for them both from the bakery that thankfully just opened. She buys a pack of candles too, just to make this a little special, and then stops at the florist. Rachel knows she doesn’t have to, but she wants to.

Once she has everything, she arrives home, makes a pot of coffee, and is relieved that Quinn doesn’t wake up the entire time. Rachel sets the cupcakes on a plate, with a lighter and the candles, and heads into the bedroom. She can’t help but smile at Quinn, stretched out on the bed, blonde hair wild against the pillow, she looked beautiful, calm and at peace. She almost doesn’t want to wake her, but she wants to celebrate with Quinn more than she wants to let her sleep. Rachel presses a soft kiss to Quinn’s forehead, giving her a little shake, “Baby, wake up,” she whispers, eliciting a groan from Quinn, “c’mon Quinn, wake up.”

“Why?” Quinn grumbles. Rachel can’t help but giggle. 

“Because I got you something,” she says, holding out the cupcake to her girlfriend, “happy birthday Quinn.”

Quinn’s face slides into a sleepy smile, “You didn’t have to,” she says, but Rachel quickly shakes her head.

“I absolutely did. I know you don’t want a big birthday, but that doesn’t mean I can’t get you a cupcake,” Rachel says, shifting to light the candle, “there also might be a bouquet of gardenias in the kitchen for you.”

The grin on Quinn’s face widens that much more, “I love you so much.”   
  
“I love you too, now shut up, I’m going to sing you happy birthday,” Rachel says.   
  
She does, making a whole performance of it. When she’s finished, Rachel watches as Quinn blows out the candle. “What did you wish for?” she asks.

Quinn looks at Rachel, a sort of happy determinedness in her eyes. “I wished for the rest of my birthdays to be just like this one.”   
  
Rachel smiles and leans in to kiss her. She thinks she’d be more than happy to make that happen. 


	28. day 28: doing something ridiculous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> back again, look at me go!!! this is doing something ridiculous, though something completely on brand for Rachel I think. The song she's singing throughout the whole fic is Sadie, Sadie, from her favourite musical, Funny Girl, which I do not own. Hope you enjoy!!

The morning after Rachel Fabray’s wedding, it clues in that she’s really married. It’s the happiest thought in the world, rolling over to see her  _ wife _ in bed next to her. Quinn’s absolutely gorgeous, sleeping soundly beside her, and Rachel’s heart flips in her chest. Looking at Quinn, all she can think about is how she’s her wife, how this beautiful, wonderful, perfect woman was married to her now. Rachel was a wife, she had a wife, she was married! Which, is the force that leads her brain into its next thought, from her favourite musical in the world. Barbra’s voice plays in her head, and she can’t help but giggle at just the thought of singing the words now. “Mrs. Fabray,” she sings along to the tune, close to Quinn’s ear, hoping to wake her wife, “Mrs. Fabray, what a beautiful, beautiful name.”

Quinn stirs, turning to look at Rachel, “Did you just wake me, the morning after our wedding, with Funny Girl lyrics adjusted to our last name?” she asks.

Rachel doesn’t answer, the question doesn’t dignify a response, Quinn knows that’s exactly what she did. She just continues the song, “Sadie, Sadie, married lady, see what’s on my hand,” she sings, flashing the ring Quinn had placed there yesterday, “there’s nothing quite as touching, as a… simple wedding band.”

Quinn presses a kiss to her ring, and Rachel’s smile widens, almost disrupting her attempt to continue singing, but she’s learned to sing and smile after many years of practice. “Oh how that marriage license works, on chambermaids and hotel clerks.”

Shaking her head, Quinn pulls Rachel into her arms as she sings, “The honeymoon was such delight, that we got married that same night.”

“You’re such a dork,” Quinn says, her voice alight with teasing joy.

“Yeah but you still married me,” Rachel says, rubbing a hand up Quinn’s arm.

“Is it too late to take it back?” Quinn says, a smirk on her face.

“Absolutely, you are so stuck with me,” Rachel says, cupping Quinn’s face and leaning in to kiss her, before pulling away, “besides, you knew what you were signing up for.”   
  
Quinn kisses her again, mumbling, “I love you so much,” against her lips.

“I love you too,” Rachel says, “I’m so happy to be your wife.”

“I feel the same way, Sadie, Sadie, married lady.”

///

It’s two and a half months after they get married, and they’re getting ready for a fancy publishing party for Quinn’s novel. Rachel left the room to find a pair of earrings, and when she returns, her wife is almost finished getting ready, just putting the final touches on her hair. She looks utterly radiant, she always does, but she looks even more gorgeous in a green dress that makes her eyes that much greener. Quinn’s facing the mirror, so she sees Rachel, her smile widening as the space between them closes and Rachel wraps her arms around her middle. “You are so beautiful,” she says, and the words click in her head, so she sings, “oh Sadie, Sadie married lady.”

“You’re doing this again?” Quinn laughs.

“Sadie, you did the trick,” she says, nearly giddy when Quinn hums along to the tune, “not every girl can get herself a girl that looks like Quinn.”   
  
“That doesn’t rhyme,” Quinn says, as Rachel pauses to give her a kiss before continuing.

“To tell the truth, it hurt my pride,” she says, “the bride was prettier than the bride.”

Quinn raises an eyebrow at the slightly altered and not totally coherent lyrics, but leans in to kiss Rachel once again. “No one was more beautiful than you were that day Rach,” she says, pulling away and looking at Rachel with all the love in the world, “you took my breath away, and brought tears to my eyes. I couldn’t believe I was lucky enough to be marrying you.”

Tears pool in Rachel’s eyes and she looks at Quinn, barely believing  _ she  _ was lucky enough to be married to her. Even when she was making a serious moment out of Rachel’s joking. “I love you,” Rachel says.

“I love you too, now let’s go before we’re late,” Quinn says, grabbing her hand, and pulling her away.

///

She’s sick, and she hates it. Rachel’s never been very good at being sick, but it’s a bit better when Quinn’s around, to pamper her and worry about her. It makes her smile, makes her feel a little better. This particular morning, two days into whatever awful cold this is, she just doesn’t want to get out of bed. “C’mon Rach, let’s get you up, I’ll make you some soup,” Quinn says, a hand dropping to Rachel’s arm to support her.

Rachel groans, “I don’t wanna get up.”

“Baby,” Quinn says, an exasperated smile on her face.

Rachel throws her hands up in the air, “Carry me,” she says

Quinn rolls her eyes, shaking her head, but she barely hesitates to lift Rachel into her arms, settling her into a bridal style hold. “The things I do for you,” Quinn says, as she starts to walk out of their bedroom and into the living room.

“You love me,” Rachel says. 

“I do,” Quinn agrees, about to place Rachel down when she gets an idea.

“Oh, sit me in the softest seat,” Rachel sings, even though her voice is rough, and she knows she shouldn’t, “quick, a cushion for my feet.”

“Rachel honey, you shouldn’t be singing,” Quinn says, setting Rachel on the couch, wrapping her up in a blanket, and sure enough, getting a cushion for her feet.

Rachel knows she’s right obviously, but she’s going to finish her lyrics, she can’t not. “Do for me, buy for me, lift me, carry me,” she says, grinning at Quinn, “finally got a girl to marry me.”

“You didn’t get me to do anything,” Quinn says, as she wanders into the kitchen, “I was a very willing party in the marrying.”

Rachel just smiles, sitting back as she listens to Quinn putter around the kitchen. There was a time in her life when she never thought anyone would want to marry her, but here she is, with the best wife in the world. She’s so happy, even if she is sick. 

///

On their first anniversary, Rachel wakes earlier than Quinn. It’s not at all surprising, it’s a Sunday, Quinn will sleep till noon if given the chance and Rachel’s internal clock always has her up with the sun, but it makes her happy. She likes to sit and watch Quinn as she sleeps, as creepy as that may be. She just loves to admire her wife, the woman she loves, completely at peace. It’s hard to believe they’ve been married for a whole year, but she’s cherished everyday. Being Quinn’s wife was a gift she was so glad to have, she was so in love. She smiles as she thinks the words, and she can’t help but sing them under her breath. “Sadie, Sadie, married lady, that’s me.”

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed, kudos and comments are greatly appreciated, see you all tomorrow.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [they can't change what we started, if we stop keeping a secret](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24717121) by [bothsexuals](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bothsexuals/pseuds/bothsexuals)




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